


War Among Prisoners

by AntOne7324



Series: Evil Lives On [2]
Category: Wentworth (TV)
Genre: Alternate season 7, Angst, Craven Is An Evil Bastard, Dictatorship, Drama, Emotional Hurt, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Family Drama, Flashbacks, Manipulation, Multi, Nightmares, Redemption, Reunions, Sexual Content, Tension, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-06-07 11:26:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 50
Words: 112,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15218150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntOne7324/pseuds/AntOne7324
Summary: Wentworth has become a living nightmare for both the officers and the prisoners, now that Joan Ferguson and Ernest Craven have taken complete control. They rule through fear and violence with no one around to stand in their way or challenge them. That is until Rita Connors arrives and witnesses the brutal regime for herselfAt first, Rita Connors refuses to get involved in prison politics but as time went on, Rita realizes she can't just stand around and do nothing while Ferguson terrorizes the women and stands against her. Which escalates into an all-out war, with Rita learning first hand  why Ferguson is called The FreakMeanwhile, Ernest Craven deals with an unexpected development of his own, as one of his colleagues Tom Shepherd is determined to expose the Governor for what he really is. Plus Craven also deals with the incarceration of his own daughter, Scarlett Craven





	1. The Thrill Of The Chase

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back everyone who had enjoyed my previous story - The Phoenix Rises. All of you guys are in for a treat with this sequel, as not only will this showcase the rivalry between Ferguson and Rita, it will also include Craven's personal life and his abuse of power in Wentworth. Plus Craven's complicated relationship with Scarlett. 
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, enjoy

Rita Connors sat motionlessly, scanning the street from the car which was parked around the corner of one of Westpac's bank branches in Melbourne Austraila. She waited as her partner in crime and fellow member of the gang known as The Conquerors was busy robbing the bank

And that was almost ten minutes ago. So what was the hold-up? Shouldn't robbing a bank or branch of it be easy? Afterall, all you got to do is point your gun at people, make threats and demand that the bankers hand over all the money 

Plus let's not forget that they are breaking the law and the police should be arriving at any minute

Maybe something went terribly wrong or her partner Slade had gotten cold feet. But why would he? Slade had planned this for weeks in advance. As much as he enjoyed being in The Conquerors, he didn't want to spend the rest of his life as a gang member, he wanted to make at least enough money to live on of for the rest of his life 

Which was something Rita could relate to. She liked the banter between herself and the men, the bike rides, drinking and having fun, but that can only lead you so far in life. There were men three times her age in the gang, some who were in their late fifties to early sixties and that is something Rita doesn't want for herself 

Throughout her time in The Conquerors, Rita had only been involved in petty crimes but nothing major as robbing a bank in the middle of the city and cops that will be chasing you and you will have to pull out all the stops to evade them 

It was a big risk should Rita and Slade's plan fail, they will both spend quite a lot of time behind bars. There can be no room for mistakes or second-guessing for that matter

This has to work 

Like Slade, Rita is dressed in black from head to toe with a balaclava mask so their identities remained anonymous 

Rita scans the area from the driver's seat of the car. She looks in front, sideways and tilting her head slightly to the back so she can see if anyone or the police were coming her way 

" Come on, Slade. Fuck you"

Within seconds, Rita could hear the police sirens in the distance 

"Shit" Rita looks back towards the front and sighs

Just when she thought Slade wasn't coming, there he was. Slade ran over to the vehicle carrying a duffle bag filled with cash and a semi-auto rimfire pistol, he opens the door and hops in the passenger seat 

" Drive. Drive. Drive" Slade told Rita as he placed the rifle and duffle bag on his lap 

Rita turns the ignition and drives down the road at top speed before turning the corner " What took you so long?" she asked while keeping her eyes on the road 

Slade takes off his balaclava " The cunts were busy taking their time and once I realized they were stalling for time, I used the back of my pistol to knock this old man out. Plus some kid was crying and another cunt trying to play the hero"

He has long blonde hair with a scar underneath his left cheek and is in late thirties " But we got the job done and soon we will be out of this stinking country" Slade chuckled as he looked down at the duffle bag

Rita makes a quick glance at Slade " Put your mask back on, we're not out of the firing lane just yet" 

Slade smiled at Rita " Don't worry love, no one is going to suspect shit. Just keep driving or I ain't giving you, your cut" he replied 

As Rita turned down the next street, she crosses paths with a police car and quickly slams her foot on the break " Shit" she backs up and begins to make a u-turn 

The second police officer who was slightly younger than the one driving the vehicle turns to his partner " Looks like we caught the robbers" he said 

The older officer shook his head " Not yet " he replied as he started following Rita's car 

His partner rolls down the window and grabs the microphone " Pull over, this is the police. Stop!" ordering Rita to pull over 

" You fucking idiot" Rita frowned as she presses her foot down on the accelerator pedal and zooms past another car on the road

She looked to Slade again " I fucking told you to put the mask back on. Did you listen? No, and now we're fucking being hunted" fuming over Slade's incompetence

Unlike Rita, Slade wasn't too concerned about their current situation " Will be fine love as long as you keep your eyes on the road. Take us out into the countryside and will handle it from there" he told her

Slade holds his semi-auto rimfire pistol and counts for bullets 

" Your only making this worse for yourselves. Give up now" said the younger officer as his partner was trying to keep pace with Rita in the city and not cause a crash or harm the civilians

The entire robbery and car chase literally looked a scene out of a movie. Both vehicles were trying their hardest to not crash into an unsuspecting car in front of them or hurt anyone else. With Rita trying her hardest to lose the cops by taking detours and looking for the city exit, while the cops were busy trying not to lose them

Meanwhile for the citizens that weren't in harm's way, not only did they catch glimpses of the chase but some tried taking videos and photos as the entire scene unfolded 

Slade chuckles amusingly, clearly enjoying the thrill of the chase from the police 

" I never had so much fun in my entire life. How about we make things a little more interesting" Slade said as he started to roll down the window 

Rita catches Slade from the corner of her left eye " What are you doing?" keeping her attention on the road and swerving around corners 

Unlike her partner, she was not enjoying this chase at all. In fact, Rita was now starting to regret ever partnering with Slade in the first place for this task. She knew Slade as a strange individual but had no idea he would be this reckless or foolish 

She should have just left the gang quietly and moved to another part of Austrailia but with only a small handful of money in her account and the temptation of robbing one of Westpac's branches for thousands of dollars and starting a new life was too good to pass up

Slade positions his pistol outside of the window " What does it look like Rita? I'm gonna run the pigs down" he laughed 

As the rush of adrenaline ran through his entire being, Slade decided to shoot down the cops that were chasing them or at least attempt to. It was clear to Rita now that this man was truly insane 

Rita shoots a look over at Slade " This isn't fucking Batman or a movie. You're not The Joker. This is real life and put that gun away now or we will be charged with terrorism if we get caught. It will be bad enough being caught with armed robbery. But this? Fuck off"

Slade meets Rita's gaze " Aww come on love" he cooed softly " I'm just trying to have some fun" 

He looks at the reflection of the police in the mirror beside him " Here little piggies"

Rita finally takes herself and Rita back onto the main road and quickly driving towards the exit

" Look! We're almost out of the city. So put that pistol away!!" Rita ordered

Slade doesn't look at Rita as he keeps focus on the police car's reflection which was slowly gaining in on them " Shut up and keep driving"

Just as Slade was about to pull the trigger, Rita slams her foot on the break. which caused both of them to violently jerk forward in their seats 

" WHAT THE FUCK!!" Slade glared at Rita 

Rita meets Slade's gaze " Drop the pistol now or I'm not doing this anymore" no longer tolerating Slade's chaotic and deranged ways 

She's had enough and quite frankly giving up and going to prison seemed better than spending more time with Slade and getting additional time as an accomplice to not only armed robbery but also terrorism as well 

Plus it's better than spending each day running and hiding until you are finally caught and brought to justice 

Slade now points his pistol at Rita " Drive or you're a dead woman" he takes off the safety hatch 

Rita shakes her head and refuses to back down " Either you throw the pistol out of the window or we get arrested. The choice is yours"

Slade tilts his head towards the back of the mirror and catches a glimpse of the police car in the distance. Not wanting to be caught and knowing his chances of ditching Rita and running away on his own wasn't good, Slade finally caves in 

" Fine!" he sighed out of frustration as he throws the pistol out of the mirror

Rita smiled in victory as she slams her foot on the accelerator pedal and beginning the chase once again 

"Once we lose them and split the money, we go on our separate ways. I never want to see you again" she told Slade 

Slade nodded in agreement " Well that makes two of us"

The chase continued into the countryside of Melbourne with the gap between Rita and the police increasing every second. Passing through valleys of hills and farms 

When Rita made a detour down a desolate road, she immediately comes across a wild kangaroo and quickly swerves the car away before it had the chance to run down the kangaroo 

"Shit!!!!!!!!!!!" said Rita 

As she manages to turn the car away, Rita loses control of the car which caused both her and Slade to not only go off track but crash into a small tree nearby. Luckily both Rita and Slade only escaped with minor bruising but unlike Slade, Rita was knocked out 

Slade quickly unbuckles his seatbelt, grabs hold of the duffel bag filled with cash and abandons Rita

" So long cunt" Slade mocked as he now runs as fast as he can and disappears into the countryside 

The police would soon arrive to crash site and take an unconscious Rita into custody


	2. Enjoy Your Stay

Several days have past since Rita and Slade's robbery of one of the Westpac branches, which lead to a full on police chase in the countryside of Melbourne and resulting in a car crash. Unlike her partner in crime who is still at large, Rita Connors has been arrested and charged as an accomplice to armed robbery and refusing to pull over 

As of now, Rita is sitting in the back of the police transfer van and waiting to arrive at her new home for the next three years, which is Wentworth. She has heard a lot of the stories that went on inside Austrailia's most notorious prison and is intrigued to see it for herself 

Afterall it's not everyday you hear or much less see two Governors who ran Wentworth and now locked inside as inmates, plus among other things. While she is interested, Rita has decided that while she may befriend some of the prisoners, she's going to keep her head down and do her time

Rita is not interested in being apart of any crew or making bids to be Top Dog. Even though it would be a piece of cake for the new inmate, Rita felt like it was a waste of time and with any bit of luck, she may be released early for good behavior 

Still though, it doesn't mean she isn't pissed about her ordeal. If it wasn't for that psychotic bastard who pretty much threw Rita over to the police, she wouldn't be in this mess. In fact if Rita never trusted Slade at all, she wouldn't have gone through with the bank robbery in the first place

Rita knew something was off about Slade, but felt as though that given his experience with robberies, it would be a piece of cake 

A mistake that costed her dearly

But then again how could have Rita known how this was going to go down? How could she have possibly known Slade was a deranged anarchist?

" Fucking cunt" Rita muttered to herself as she tiled her head towards her left and gazes out of the small window

She watches the multiple buildings and streets the van passes by 

It's a shame that Wentworth is only women's prison because if it was intergender or if they somehow allowed male prisoners in for a brief period, Rita wouldn't hesitate to bash the shit out of Slade and may even shiv him 

If there is one thing in the Conquerors that you don't do, is you don't abandon your fellow Conqueror

You do that and there will be severe consequences 

And yet Slade did just that. He betrayed and left Rita behind

Rita now turns her thoughts back to Wentworth in regards to some of its infamous inmates, including disgraced former Governor, Joan Ferguson, who escaped Wentworth months ago before being brought back with Wentworth's other former Governor, Vera Bennett 

From what she had read in the papers about the trial and Bea Smith's murder, Rita knew right from the get-go that Ferguson was a nasty piece of work. She could just tell by looking at Ferguson's mugshot in the newspapers after the escape, that this woman was not to be messed with 

Then again so is Rita. She isn't to be messed with either and will gladly fight anyone who has a problem with her. So if by chance Ferguson crosses paths with Rita in a way that she doesn't like, Rita will be ready for her 

Rita hopes it won't come to that because all she cares about is getting released and if she's involved in anything that could jeopardize her sentence, she'll be stuck in Wentworth longer than she would have liked

As the old saying goes - Just have to wait and see 

Rita snaps out of her thoughts as she hears rapid breaths coming from a woman sitting next to her 

She tilts her head to the woman " You alright?"

The woman shakes her head as she looks down at her legs and breathes rapidly as her anxiety kicks in 

She has blonde hair that went down to her shoulders. Her attire consists of dark blue jeans, brown shoes, a white t-shirt and a grey hoodie. This woman is considerably young, appearing in her mid-twenties 

" I'm fucking terrified" the woman replied anxiously " I've never been to prison before and I...I don't know what's going to happen. I... I don't "

Rita sighed deeply " Well that makes two of us. This my first time as well and I'm a bit nervous myself" she said hoping it would bring this young girl comfort 

" What's your name?" 

The woman lifted her head to gaze at Rita and stutters " Ni...Nicole...Nicole Linus" she said while brushing a lock of hair away from her face

Rita smiled at Nicole " I'm Rita Connors. Nice to meet you"

From what she saw, Nicole seemed like a nice girl but felt as though that she's the type that would most likely get picked on by the other prisoners

Hopefully, with a bit advice that Rita is about to give to this woman, Nicole will be able to survive on the inside

Nicole shrugs " I guess" tilting her head away and back down at her knees 

Rita keeps her gaze on Nicole " Hey! A word of warning. Keep this up and the women will tear you apart" wanting to help the young blonde

" I understand that your young and it must be terrifying as hell, but you can't show an ounce of weakness or the vultures will circle in. You need to appear as though you have your shit together"

Nicole looks back at Rita like a lost puppy " How?" she asked

She tried to not let her prison sentence get to her or the possibilities that could happen during her time in Wentworth, but after her trial and sentencing, the realization of being a prisoner became all too real 

Rita met Nicole's gaze " You have to pretend like you don't give a shit about anything. You do that, then you'll be fine. Only in closed doors, you can be terrified or do whatever you like. But in public?" shakes her head " That's like signing a death warrant" she answered 

Nicole asked " Are you sure this is your first time? Sounds like you've been here before" she soon notices her anxiety is slowly decreasing while talking to this woman 

She considers sticking close to Rita for the duration of her sentence when they arrive at Wentworth since this woman seemed to know her shit and could learn a thing or two from Rita 

Rita smiles and nods " I'm sure, Nikki. The only reason I know these things is....I'm in a gang for starters and I've been down your road in the past" she replied

Nicole raised an eyebrow " A gang?" wondering if she wasn't hearing things 

Rita shuffles her body to the side and allowing Nicole to look at The Conquerors patch on the back of her leather jacket " Pretty cool huh"

She then shuffles back to her original position 

Nicole smiled at Rita " Yeah! That is pretty cool" she tilts her head towards her right and gazes out of the other window 

Rita looked at Nicole for a moment and considers taking Nicole under her wing when they arrive. Nicole seemed like a nice young woman, who did something stupid and is obviously regretting her actions 

If she doesn't look out for Nicole then who will? 

" Hey!" 

Nicole tilts her head back to Rita 

Rita met Nicole's gaze " When we get to Wentworth. Stick by me and you'll be fine" she said

Nicole smiles at Rita " Really?"

Rita nodded in reply 

Ten minutes later the transfer van finally arrives at its destination and pulls up at the back of Wentworth where the prisoners' entrance was located

Standing at the entrance is Ms. Miles the deputy Governor and Ernest Craven who is the evil and manipulative Governor who forged an alliance with Ferguson

Even though it's Ferguson's first day back as Top Dog, Craven has wasted no time in stripping away all the prisoners' privileges that made them feel normal. Craven has taken away their TVs, forced his colleagues to remove all personal photos on the prisoners' walls and leaving their cells blank so far

But there's more to come from this man. So much more 

After parking the van, Tom Shepherd hops out of the van and headed towards the back. He places his key inside the lock and unlocks it, opening the doors

Tom looks at Nicole " Alright, you first" he said 

Nicole slowly stands to her feet and feels her heart pounding as she makes her way over to Tom

She then places one foot on the pavement before lowering the other and takes a look at her new surroundings 

Rita stands up next, moves towards Tom and exits the van 

"Welcome to your new home ladies" 

Rita and Nicole turned to face Craven 

Craven meets their gaze " It's not the Ritz but then again, this isn't a hotel either. You broke the law and as long as you follow the rules, everything will run smoothly for the both of you " he told them 

Rita stares at Craven " And if we break them?" not impressed at Craven's attempt to show his superiority over herself and Nicole 

Craven locks eyes with Rita " You'll see" he replied 

He couldn't wait for Rita and Nicole to see the horrors of which he and Ferguson have conjured up for everyone in Wentworth 

Tom frowned at Craven's comment towards Rita 

Once being led inside and down a few corridors, it didn't take long for Rita to sense an overwhelming feeling of depression and fear as she passed by a few prisoners. She understands that no one wants to be in prison, you'd have to be crazy to want to be a prisoner 

But this was something else. It was something more than just losing freedom. It looked as if the prisoners were so miserable and depressed, they were having suicidal thoughts. Almost as if whoever is in charge of the prisoners except for Craven, was a tyrant ruling through fear and violence 

She also felt the feeling of hopelessness and despair among the prisoners and wonders how it could have gotten so bad. Rita knew prison was no picnic but this is ridiculous 

Rita muttered quietly to herself " Geese if gets any lively in here, a funeral will break out"

" This place gives me the chills" Nicole uttered as she followed Craven and the others 

Rita nodded in agreement " You and me both"

Two minutes later, Rita and Nicole find themselves standing outside of the strip search room

Craven turns to Ms. Miles and Tom " Once these two have been searched, had their files written up and given their uniforms. Send them over to H1, Birdsworth and Jenkins could do with some new company and we need those cells filled" he told them 

Ms. Miles nodded at Craven " Yes Governor"

Craven looks at Rita and Nicole " Enjoy your stay" he lets out a light chuckle before walking away from them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the lack of Ferguson in these two chapters. I just needed to set up Rita's arrival but rest assured in the next chapter Ferguson will be in it


	3. Review

Ernest Craven sat in his office, writing out reports on today's progress with the prisoners in the general population. Even though it hasn't been a full day yet with Ferguson being in charge as Top Dog again, Craven was impressed with the hold Ferguson has over the women and the fear that she produces 

Sure! It was only twenty-four hours ago, that some of them had not only witnessed the brutal fight between the Freak and Kaz Proctor but also to see Ferguson killing her longtime nemesis by burning her head with the steam press

Still, though, the amount of fear Ferguson had was incredible and not once today did any of Craven's rules or stripping away privileges were met with any resistance. The prisoners complied and did as they were told 

This never happened during Craven's time as the Governor at Walford. If he wanted things done his way and be met with no resistance, he had to wait and bide his time with whoever Craven aligned himself with at the time before his projects Walford 

But with Wentworth, it is a different story. Perhaps its Ferguson's presence and the ruthlessness in some of the other female prisoners made it possible for the evil Governor to begin his plans immediately after conception

Craven smiled to himself because with the prisoners scared shitless and have submitted themselves to his rule along with Ferguson's, Craven can finally show his true colors and do anything he pleased without suffering the consequences 

Even if by chance Tom or any of his other colleagues questioned Craven's motivations and try to have him demoted, Craven will not hesitate to go out of his way to ruin their careers and perhaps organizing multiple murders along the way 

" Everything is proceeding as I have envisioned," Craven thought as he finished the last sentence in the prisoners' report before closing the file 

As Craven is about to place the file away in the cabinet behind him, he hears three knocks at his door

" Enter!" 

The door opened with Ms. Miles standing in the doorway " Ferguson's here to see you Governor" she told him 

Craven nodded as he placed the files away " Thank you, Ms. Miles. Send her in"

Ms. Miles stepped aside and allowed Ferguson to enter the room 

" You wanted to see me?" Ferguson asked as she walked over to one of the chairs and sits down in front of Craven 

Craven nodded again " I do" he tilts his head to Ms. Miles who was now standing in the doorway " That'll be all, Ms. Miles"

Ms. Miles grabs hold of the doorknob and leaves the room by closing the door 

Craven smiled at his ally " I wanted to review our partnership and today's events"

Ferguson raised an eyebrow " Having second thoughts are we?" she smirks at him " It's too late to back out now" she said 

She enjoyed being in control of everyone again with all the prisoners fearing her, especially since they have no savior or hero to stand up for them. All of her enemies have been vanquished, except for one who wanted to her crew 

Plus just before being called to Craven's office, Ferguson has been informed by her contacts that they discovered information on Craven's time at Walford that will not only damage his career but also keep him under her control 

Craven shakes his head " Not at all Joan. I have no regrets about what we did to Novak, Doyle, and Proctor. I certainly have no regrets in taking over this prison. I just wanted to say that I'm impressed and pleased with the results so far. Despite the fact, it's only been one day"

He believes that given everything that has just transpired, he and Ferguson will continue to do great things together 

Ferguson replied as her smirk faded " I see" 

Craven met Ferguson's gaze " I knew when I first met you, I made the right choice in aligning myself with you. The prisoners are completely terrified of you. Everywhere you go, they will all be treading on eggshells, wishing and hoping they don't offend you" he chuckled 

" Oh and the way you killed Proctor yesterday" Craven gives Ferguson a thumbs up " That was priceless. To think she actually had a shot at killing you or the fact that she fell for my lies, made her an even bigger fool than I thought"

Ferguson stared at Craven " Well I had to do something to ensure my reign will go unchallenged this time. They were used to having their hands burned but seeing ahead in the press was unthinkable. Change is always difficult in the beginning" she said 

She has also learned from her mistake to never be too prideful or arrogant as Top Dog, despite the fact she has killed all her enemies and there is no one around who's worthy enough to be considered a contender 

There could always be a new prisoner who may not be like the others and challenge her authority, so Ferguson will not allow herself to be put in a vulnerable position where she is either tied to a pole with her life on the line again 

Some say that maybe her paranoia, to others, it's pure genius

" Now the women know that any chance of standing against me is futile, they have no choice but to do as I say and do it without question"

Craven added " And as I say. Afterall, I'm in charge of the entire prison. You're just in charge of the general population and you're the go-to between them and myself" 

As for his attempts in gaining any information on Ferguson and learning about her past, Craven has received a copy of Ferguson's files during her time at Sinclair with Doctor Foster, thanks to his contact who gave him the file, late last night

Craven became intrigued as he started to read the notes of which Doctor Foster had recorded, which involved the Freak in having a complete breakdown following her arrest and conversations relating to her and her deceased father, Ivan Ferguson 

It appeared to Craven that Ferguson's father had a huge impact on the Freak's life that went beyond his own death. Craven read the notes on how Ferguson was raised as a soldier, instead of a normal little girl and how it affected her childhood 

No friends. Homeschooled and underwent intensive psychological and physical training that could be considered an act of abuse and child labor 

But there was one thing that confused Craven and that was Ferguson's last days in Sinclair leading to her release and transfer to Wentworth. Ferguson had been diagnosed as a psychopath who's a danger to not only herself but everyone around her and someone who should remain locked up in a mental facility 

And yet Doctor Foster had written Ferguson a clean bill of health and declared her sane

How can that possibly happen? A few months of therapy can't undo all the damage Ferguson has done and the pain she went through. It takes years and years, considering the fact her entire life hasn't been normal 

Did Ferguson blackmail Doctor Foster or did she make him a deal he couldn't refuse? 

Whatever it was Craven had to know what it was and made a mental note to speak to his contact about it 

Ferguson kept her gaze on Craven " For now" she thought to herself

Once her contacts have verified the information, Ferguson will then make her move by placing the Governor under her thumb and place herself above Craven, so she can have total immunity and make her own rules 

For her, it'll be like being Governor again

Craven smiled at Ferguson " Don't look so down, Joan. You and I are equals and we will decide what is best for this prison but just remember, there is a slight difference. You're a prisoner and I'm not" he said 

Ferguson nodded " Understood. Is that all you would like to talk to me about?"

Craven shakes his head " No! There's something else" he replied 

" Now that I've started stripping away all privileges, I need you to guarantee that there will be no drugs in my prison. Whoever's in charge of trafficking drugs, whether it's your crew or someone else, it needs to stop"

Ferguson scoffed at Craven's comment " You should know as I do, that is impossible. No matter what you may do, the women will always find a way to bring in drugs and I know every inch of this prison that could help them. Lucky for you, I am not your enemy" she told Craven 

To hear Craven's request of making Wentworth a drug free zone was ridiculous Ferguson tried countless times to put a stop to the drug trade as Governor but always failed and underestimated the women's resolve

Craven leans back in his chair and sways from side to side " You'll find a way, Joan. Where there's a will, there's a way" he will do whatever it takes to be seen as Wentworth's savior and do what no other Governor before him could do 

On the surface, he wants to be seen as a tough but fair leader in Wentworth who uses tough love to keep the prisoners in line, bring the murders, the drugs and conflicts between prisoners down to zero 

But on the inside, he'll rule as a sadistic tyrant, punish the women, make them feel utterly worthless for breaking the law and force them to do things that they don't want to do 

Ferguson stared at Craven " I'll see what I can do" 

Craven stopped swaying in his chair " Thank you and there's another thing you should know" he tells her 

Ferguson raised an eyebrow " Like what" 

Craven met Ferguson's gaze " Just now, two new prisoners have arrived. One, in particular, has caught my attention and may pose a problem for you. Her name is Rita Connors " 

Even though he really doesn't know who Rita Connors is or her background, but from their brief encounter he could tell that Rita is a player and might pose a threat to Craven and Ferguson's plans for Wentworth in the future 

Ferguson smirks " As flattered as I am about your concerns for me, I'm still not interested. As for Connors, once she sees how I run things or my history in this place, she'll fall in line just like the rest" 

" But I will use Logan and Widmore to keep an eye on her. Just in case" Ferguson added 

Craven nodded in satisfaction " I might be wrong about Connors and she may not pose a threat to us, but you just never know"

He locks eyes with the Freak " In conclusion, I'm very pleased with how our alliance has turned out and keep up the good work" he told Ferguson 

Ferguson gave Craven a sarcastic remark " No gold stickers? No extra credit?" 

Craven chuckled amusingly at Ferguson's comment and shakes his head 

Ferguson changes their topic slightly " In regards to Proctor earlier. How did the board take it? I mean three deaths under your watch and the promises you've made to them, aren't exactly happening now are they?"

Even though she views Craven as nothing more than a mere pawn in her plans, he is still a useful ally after orchestrating the grand plan that caused the deaths of Kaz and Allie, Franky switching sides and successfully taking over Wentworth 

Craven looked at Ferguson " I'm meeting with the board tomorrow to discuss those incidences, but I'm not worried. Like I said before, Joan. I have two members in my pocket that will minimize the damage" 

Ferguson half smiled at Craven " Good! I'd hate to lose my favorite Governor" she lies 

" Are we done?"

Craven nodded " We are"


	4. Settling In

After Nicole Linus had been stripped and been given her teal uniform, Rita Connors now steps into the strip search room. It doesn't take long for her to strip off her clothes and being told what to do

" Hair" Tom said to Rita as he stepped in front of her 

Rita lowers her head, ruffles her hair and shakes her head from side to side 

Tom nodded in satisfaction " Hold up your arms and spread them apart" he then takes a step back

" Tell me something" Rita raised her head before lifting up both of her arms and spreading them apart

" What's up with everyone in this place? Everyone is acting more miserable than usual. I know it's a prison and all. But for fuck sake, this might as well be the morgue"

Tom inspects both of Rita's arms carefully " Well! If you knew who the Top Dog was and the history she's had with this place. You'd be miserable as well" he then looks under Rita's armpits and satisfied she wasn't concealing anything in them 

Rita raised an eyebrow " Oh? And who is the Top Dog?" lowering her arms 

When she came in and saw how miserable the prisoners were, Rita couldn't shake that overwhelming feeling of depression as it started to rub off on her a little bit. Plus whoever is responsible for it 

" Joan Ferguson, the former Governor" Tom replied grimly 

Rita looked at Tom " Seriously? A former Governor now the boss of the women in general?" she scoffed at the thought " No prisoner in the world would ever allow a Governor to take over as their leader. Hell! no Governor would or should be locked inside his or her own prison. Knowing what might happen" 

Tom shakes his head " You don't know Ferguson like the women do. She is unlike any woman you have ever seen before and for your own safety, I'd advise you to stay clear from her. Ferguson is someone you do not want to mess with" he told Rita 

" Breasts"

Rita holds up her breasts " She's that bad huh"

Tom looks over and under Rita's breasts " She's evil incarnate" he then mumbles under his breath " So is Craven"

He still believed Craven was involved with the deaths of Allie Novak, Kaz Proctor and helping the Freak to become Top Dog again. There was too much that didn't add up when Tom confronted Craven a few days ago about it 

Craven claimed he was on Kaz's side and wanting to help her and her friends to take down Ferguson but Tom knew that wasn't the case. Especially when Craven threatened to terminate Tom's job if he kept accusing Craven of having anything to do with Ferguson 

Sad thing is that he can't report it to the board or anyone for that matter. Tom doesn't have the proof he needs and even if he is wrong about Craven's activities with Ferguson, he still doesn't trust the man 

" What was that?" Rita asked as she barely heard what Tom's last words were

Tom looks back at Rita " Nothing. Just don't go near the Freak is all" 

Rita nodded " I'll keep that in mind" she replied

Once Tom had finished checking Rita's body for any drugs she may have concealed, she is given her teal uniform and starts getting dressed 

Her attire consists of white shoes, teal pants, teal tank top and a teal collared shit that Rita chooses to leave unbuttoned

Rita grabs her basket with spare teal clothes, she leaves the strip search room and walks with Nicole down the corridor as Tom leads them to H5 

Nicole chose to wear the typical white t-shirt with the teal hoodie, along with teal pants and white shoes. Plus Nicole has her hair tied into a ponytail 

The young blonde smiled at her new friend " Hey" 

Rita smiled back at Nicole " Hey" 

" Did you mean what you said? About looking out for me? Because you don't have to if you don't want to" Nicole said as she and Rita turned down the next corridor 

Rita nods " Of course I did and I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't like you. I don't do this for anyone you know" she replied 

" Cool " Nicole said " What are you in for? I know you're in a gang but what was the crime?" she asked 

Rita tilts her head to Nicole " Armed robbery and failing to comply with the police while being chased" she sighed out of frustration " And for trusting someone who was a complete whacko and Joker wannabe. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here"

Nicole smiled " That sounds like a scene out of an action movie" she giggled

Rita nodded " Something like that" she then turns the conversation around " How about you? What are you in for?"

Before Nicole could reveal to Rita, Tom catches their attention as they come to a complete stop outside H1 and with him facing the newbies

" This is where both of you will be staying!" Tom said " Birdsworth!" 

Liz exits her cell " Hi Mr. Shepherd, how are you?" she then turns her attention to Nicole and Rita who were standing behind Tom 

Tom kept his gaze on Liz " I'm fine. You and Boomer have two new roomies. Make them feel welcome and I trust you to inform them of the rules"

He then turns to Nicole and Rita " Good luck to the both of you" he then leaves and disappears down the next corridor 

Nicole and Rita step into their new unit 

Liz smiles at them " Hi! I'm Liz Birdsworth but you can call me Liz. I'm also a peer worker, so if you have any trouble or how the rules work, you can always come to me" 

Nicole smiled at Liz " I'm Nicole and this is Rita" pointing her thumb at her friend " Nice to meet you" she said

Rita moves further into H1 and takes a look at the empty cells that are available " Geese. Either the Governor doesn't like you and whoever else is staying here, or the women have been released" surprised to see how empty H1 was and that Craven hasn't filled them as of yet 

She turns to Liz ' Does it matter which one we take? Neither the Governor or that Officer said anything"

Liz shakes her head " Take what you like love. There were more people but things happened. Two died and two were transferred. One was transferred to another prison for breast cancer treatment. The other was transferred to a different unit" she told Rita

Nicole walks over to the table and places her basket on it " Must be great though. Having the unit all to yourself" she said to Liz 

She then pulls out a seat and sits down 

Liz tilts her head to Nicole "Yeah it's alright. But miss the company though"

Rita stands outside Franky's old cell and nods " This will do" she enters the cell and places her basket on the bed 

" What are the rules?" Nicole asked 

Liz headed over to her cell and stands in the doorway " Whichever cell you choose, you need to be standing out for the headcount when the screws arrive"

Nicole nodded as she stared at Liz 

Liz continued " Don't borrow anyone's stuff without asking and...."

" Don't ever press the panic button"

Liz and Nicole tilted their heads over to see Rita standing outside of her own cell 

Liz nodded " Yeah that's right. Been here before?" she asked

Rita shakes her head as she walked over to the table and pulls out a seat " I knew a guy who went to Walford once, and told me what the rules were"

Liz walked over to the counter " You two want a drink? Tea or Coffee?" pulling down her mug from the second counter above her 

Rita shakes her head " No thanks" 

Nicole watches Liz " Yes, please. Coffee and one sugar"

Liz takes down the second cup and begins making the drinks " Oh" tilting her gaze to the newbies " The Top Dog is Joan Ferguson. So whatever you two do, stay away from her at all costs" she warned them 

She opens the fridge to take the milk bottle out and pours a little bit into her and Nicole's mugs

Rita raised an eyebrow at Liz " Officer Shepherd said the same thing. Ferguson seems to have made quite an impression here. The women are scared shitless because of her apparently" 

" You don't know the half of it. Yesterday she fought Kaz to be Top Dog and killed her by placing Kaz's head in the steam press" Liz replied while putting the milk away 

Nicole's widens her eyes in horror " Jesus"

Liz looked at Nicole and Rita " Ferguson has done a lot worse, but that is just a taste of what she is truly capable of. Unless she asks you to do something, both of you stay away"

It is clear to Rita that not only Ferguson is a tyrant but also has made a strong and everlasting impression on the prisoners. An intriguing individual that Rita needs to see in person, just to get a better picture of the Freak 

Boomer enters the unit " Who are these two?"

Rita and Nicole tilted their heads slightly so they could see Boomer 

 

Elsewhere, Ferguson arrived in her unit after finishing her meeting with Craven. She scans the area for Rebecca before turning her sights on Franky and Vera who were sitting together at the table 

Ferguson approaches them " Where's Widmore?" 

Franky kept her gaze on Ferguson while tilting her head to a closed door on her left " In her unit with Raven" she replied

" What's with your meetings with the Governor? Vera tells me you and Craven have been seeing each other quite a lot. You two are fucking?" Franky grinned 

Ferguson ignored Franky's tease by heading straight over to Rebecca's cell. She peaks through the small window in the door and sees Rebecca making out with Raven who's on top who's shirtless

Franky chuckled as she watched Ferguson standing at Rebecca's door " Like to watch don't you? How does your girlfriend feel about that"

Vera rolls her eyes and shakes her head 

Ferguson lightly knocks three times on Rebecca's door

The knock startles Raven as she broke the kiss and turned to Rebecca's door to see who was knocking

Raven sees Ferguson and quickly looks away while covering herself " Shit! Ahhh we're busy Joan"

Ferguson opens the door and stands in the doorway " Widmore, a word" looking directly at Rebecca who still had her shirt on 

" Sure" Rebecca lightly nodded 

Raven gets off of Rebecca, grabs her white shirt and teal hoddie before leaving the room 

Rebecca sits upright on the bed and looks at Ferguson " What's up"

Ferguson met Rebecca's gaze " I need you to stop bringing in the drugs and make it clear to the others that should they start their own trade, they will have me to deal with" she said 

Rebecca removes a lock of hair away from her face and tucks it behind her right ear " Okey-dokey. May I ask why" she then smiled as she patted a seat next to her " You can sit down if you like"

Ferguson shakes her head " Thank you but no. This won't take long. Craven wants Wentworth to be a drug-free prison and as foolish as that may be, I'm certain that with you spreading the word and me running things, we can easily put a stop to it. For now at least" she told Rebecca 

While she doesn't like being told what to do or carrying out requests, Ferguson knew it would only be a matter of time before she has all of the information she needs on Craven and use it to her advantage

Plus being at the very top of Wentworth's hierarchy and answering to no one but herself. Even though the Freak is enjoying being Top Dog again, she knows it's not enough. Not with Craven or someone else to be the Governor and have a say on how the prison should be run 

It should be Ferguson and her only. Since she believes she knows what is best for the prisoners and the screws themselves

Rebecca nods " Makes sense. What is your alliance with... never mind " she shakes her head and decides to not go through with her question. Not wanting Ferguson to think she was being too nosey 

Ferguson knew exactly what Rebecca wanted to say" My alliance with Craven?" she paused briefly and looks away " A means to an end. He doesn't realize yet but he's been my puppet from the start and soon, not even he will tell me what to do" she turns back to Rebecca 

Rebecca smiled " Playing the long game with him as well, I see. Let me guess" she pauses for a moment and think about it but comes to only one conclusion" Planning to blackmail him, so even he can't tell you what to do or betray you"

After her private sessions with the Freak on how to run the prison and manipulating others, Rebecca knew Ferguson's mind inside and out. After all, Rebecca had been chosen as a possible successor in the Freak's absence if anything were to happen to her 

Ferguson grinned at Rebecca in satisfaction "Something like that"


	5. First Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ferguson and Rita meet for the first time

With Rita's first day inside Wentworth almost over, the fearless and feisty Conqueror member finds herself waiting in line with her new friend Nicole inside the dining room for dinner. All of them held empty trays as they slowly moved closer and closer to where the food was located

To say that Rita had an interesting first day as a prisoner in Wentworth would be an understatement 

Not once did Rita ever expected to make friends with anyone on her first day or learn about Wentworth's most notorious inmate in the form of Joan Ferguson as the Top Dog in the general population

From what Rita has already gathered from her new allies and feeling the atmosphere around her, Wentworth is a place you never want to end up in. Prisoner or screw. It didn't matter because, with someone like Ferguson in charge and a Governor who's illegally stripping away special privileges, you know things were going to be miserable

Unfortunately, though, Rita had no choice, since she broke the law and is now spending the next three years inside this hell hole. Maybe two years, if she's lucky enough

In the background of the dining room, the prisoners were busy talking amongst themselves and sharing their misery of having Ferguson being in charge of them again. They knew that with Kaz gone and Franky in the Freak's crew, things will never be the same again. So this was their only chance to let off some steam before Ferguson and her crew arrives

Rita looked at Nicole who was standing beside her " So! You never told me, how you managed to end up in here" she takes another step forward 

Nicole met Rita's gaze " It's nothing special or exciting like yours" she then looks away 

Just thinking about her reasons for being locked inside Wentworth had already made her feel like shit and a complete idiot. Nicole was warned and yet she chose not to listen and is now paying the price for it 

Rita lightly nudges Nicole's arm with her elbow " Come on, Nikki. It can't be that bad. Besides, I told you my reasons and it's only fair if you do the same"

Nicole says nothing 

Rita nudges Nicole's arm again " Come on. What was it? Parking fines?" 

Nicole shakes her head " Fuck no" looking back at Rita " I'm not that weak" she chuckled lightly 

" Well come on then. Prove that your not weak" Rita grinned

They both took another step towards the kitchen 

Nicole smiled " Well if you must know. I'm in here for DUI charge and I'm here for six months" she told Rita

It may have only been a few hours since they met, but Nicole already warmed to Rita as a friend and even viewed her as a big sister that she never had. Considering the fact, Nicole is an only child

Rita jerked her head back " Is that it? That's the big secret. Geese with the way your acting, I thought you murdered someone" she teased and acting as if a DUI charge wasn't a big deal 

Nicole returns the favor by nudging Rita's arm " Shut up. I feel like a complete idiot for being arrested for drinking and driving. My parents told me to not drive. Hell, they grounded me for not being able to use their car, but I swiped the keys and went out for a joy ride and boom here I am"

Rita smiled at Nicole " Shit happens and it's nothing to be embarrassed about. At least your in here for six months. Me?" pointing her thumb at herself in gesture " I should be the embarrassed one. Trusting some deranged nut and getting a three-year sentence" she chuckled 

"Well that is true" Nicole replied with a grin 

As they finally made their way over and began to fill their empty trays, the chatter that had once filled the room suddenly went dead. Almost as if everyone that was present had suddenly vanished into thin air 

Rita is the first to catch on to sudden silence in the room " Who died?" 

When she tilted her head towards the crowd, she notices that everyone's attention was locked onto Ferguson and the Freaks who had just arrived 

Rita tilts her head towards her left and sees Ferguson 

Ferguson smirked at her peers as headed over to a table that had the empty trays and picks one up for herself. She loved how with just one look, she can silence anyone in a room

She enjoyed instilling fear and terror to her pairs in the general population. After all, Ferguson had to do something to keep everyone in line. If one started to revolt, the others will join in like a flock of sheep 

But after her encounter with Kaz yesterday and the way she killed her, no one dared to challenge or go near the Freak, unless they wanted something in return 

" She's full of herself!" Rita thought to herself

It didn't take long for Ferguson to catch Rita staring as she began moving herself to the front of the line. When her crew came over to Nicole, Raven grabbed her shoulder and pushes Nicole behind her 

Nicole frowned at Raven " Hey!" not liking the fact that Raven cut in front of her 

Raven met Nicole's gaze " Quiet"

Ferguson now stood beside Rita with their eyes locked on to each other 

" She must be Rita!" The Freak thought to herself as she remembered Craven mentioning her name earlier in the day 

Rebecca looked at Rita " Hey newbie"

Rita breaks away from Ferguson and turns to Rebecca who stood behind the Freak

" Yeah! I'm talking to you. You're in the way" Rebecca said 

Ferguson kept her gaze on Rita " It's fine Widmore. This woman is a newbie after all and she probably doesn't know all the rules yet. Do you?"

Rita turns her attention back to Ferguson " No" shaking her head " Still learning" she said 

As she looked into the eyes of the Freak, she felt several shivers running down her spine, seeing nothing but darkness in them. Rita wasn't scared of this woman though, just amazed to see someone like Ferguson who could carry that much negative energy 

Ferguson started filling her tray " I suppose you've heard about..."

Rita quickly interjected before Ferguson could finish her sentence " Heard about you?" shrugs shoulders " Bits and pieces. I don't care about that or about gunning for your position. All I care about is getting out of here" she told Ferguson 

She then moves over and grabs herself a bread roll 

Vera, who stood beside her girlfriend joins in the conversation " You should care though. Anyone who stands against Ferguson always loses. And that doesn't mean that everyone dies, some have been left wishing they could though" she said 

Rita nodded as she briefly turned her attention to Vera" I don't doubt that. Like I said, I'm not here to cause trouble" 

Ferguson looked at Rita " Well then, you have nothing to worry about. Nice meeting you..eh..." she assumed the woman she was talking to was Rita but pretended as if she really didn't have a clue

She is neither afraid or threatened by Rita and she didn't need to let her crew tell Rita who was boss. Since the others would do the talking for her, but Ferguson is the boss and it's her job to inform Rita where her place is in the general population 

" Rita Connors" Rita replied

Ferguson nodded slightly " Rita" 

She then headed to an empty table at the back of the room, where several of the junkies who were with Ferguson during her first reign, were busy cleaning and sanitizing the table so Ferguson can eat there 

Franky, Vera, Rebecca, and Raven all followed their leader after filing their trays 

Rita couldn't help but shake her head as she saw Ferguson's table being cleaned and wiped down 

She then looked at Nicole " You ok?"

Nicole nodded in reply

Once they filled their trays, they headed over to the table where Liz and Boomer were and joined them 

Meanwhile over at Sonia Stevens's table which was located in front of the entrance to the dining room 

" Look at her" Sonia shakes her head in disbelief " Joan is acting as if she is a God. I mean getting people to clean and wipe her table before eating? Ridiculous. As if the tables weren't already cleaned after lunch"

Unlike the others who simply gave up, Sonia is still determined to become Top Dog and just because she overheard what happened to Kaz, doesn't mean she's given up her dreams for power 

Sonia grabs her cup of tea and brings it to her mouth " It won't be long till she's six feet under" she then lightly sips on her drink 

The woman sitting closest to Sonia who had dark hair and blue streaks gave her boss a quizzical stare "You're not serious"

She wore the exact same teal attire as Nicole Linus 

Sonia shot a look at her minion " I'm deadly serious. What Joan did was horrific, but that isn't going to stop me. If you want something in life, Jade. You won't let anything stop you, even if it meant risking your own life" she lowers her mug onto the table 

Jade folded her arms " How the hell are you going to take the Freak down? Many have tried and they have all failed"

" Yeah! I mean Ferguson is ridiculously tough for her age. Not to mention her being incredibly smart as well" said the brown hair girl named Maria who sat beside Jade 

Sonia smirked at them " There's more than one way to get rid of Joan. Attacking her directly or even announcing you're taking her on for the position of Top Dog is futile. Joan will easily think of ways to stop you. So I'm going to do the exact opposite and attack her when she least expects it. I did it before and came close to having her killed after organizing Joan's lynching"

She then tilts her head to her left and watches Kim Chang serving the last two prisoners who had entered the dining room


	6. History

Later in the evening with all the prisoners locked inside their units for the night, Rita and the gang sat around the table and drinking their cups of tea. After meeting Ferguson face to face in the dining room and seeing how terrified everyone was when the Freak arrived with her crew. Rita now wanted to know the full story of Joan Ferguson from her time as the Governor and after becoming prisoner 

One side of the table is Rita and Nicole, on the other side is Liz and Boomer 

" So what's the full story with Ferguson?" Rita asked 

" I know she's bad but just how bad is she? Judging by that little stunt at dinner. Ferguson has made quite an impression on the women"

Liz takes a deep breath " How much time do you have?" smiles

Rita smiled back " Three years"

They both let out a light chuckle at Liz's joke 

Liz nodded " I think that's enough"

" Ferguson is a fucking psycho. That's what she is. Anyone who goes near her, either ends up dead or seriously fucked in the head....like Franky" Boomer said as she folded her arms 

Boomer still couldn't understand why Franky would want to join up with Freak. It didn't make sense given the history between the two 

She never thought in a million years would she see Franky being afraid of anyone or siding with the one person who has caused a lot of harm to her

Liz looked at Boomer " You know why she had to do it. Franky feels this is the right move, not just for her but for us as well. I don't agree with it personally but what can you do?"

Boomer frowned at Liz " You can tell her, she's fucking nuts and that joining Ferguson means turning your back on your family and friends. It's fucked up I tell you" slamming her fist down on the table

" Fucked up!"

Boomer stands up and storms into her cell, shutting the door violently

Rita tilted her head back to Liz " I can tell they were close. Her and Franky. We're they......involved?" referring to a sexual relationship

" Nah" Liz shakes her head " Just good friends"

Rita nodded

Liz lifts up her cup " So...about Ferguson" she light sips on her tea before placing her cup back down onto the table

" When Ferguson arrived as the Governor after Erica Davidson was fired, Ferguson had set up a garden project with my best friend Doreen Anderson. Who is now released on parole. Anyway, that project ended when one of the male prisoners from Walford tried to rape Franky, needless to say, it ended badly for him. Ferguson tried to enforce a no drugs policy and even pit Bea Smith against Franky Doyle for the role of Top Dog. Needless to say, Ferguson got her wish and Bea became Top Dog before she escaped from here to kill Brayden Holt"

Rita listened intently to Liz's story about Ferguson 

Nicole watches on while drinking her tea 

Liz continued " Ferguson realized Bea had played her. So Ferguson made things very difficult for all of us by stripping away our privileges. Even threw me back into protection, after I lagged to her in order to stop the drugs Franky was trafficking that killed them. When Bea demonstrated her power by organizing a riot, it was game on. They battled for control that resulted in Wentworth being lit up in flames and Ferguson being arrested for her crimes. You see!, Ferguson had tried to kill a former officer named Mr. Fletcher twice by using her thug known as Nils Jasper" 

Rita nodded " Yeah! I remember reading about Nils in the paper following Ferguson's trial. He died in an explosion" she said 

Liz kept her gaze on Rita " That's right. Ferguson also has a grudge against another officer named Will Jackson. It dated back to when he was a social worker, who took away a baby whose mother was Ferguson's girlfriend at the time. It leads to her girlfriend named Jianna, getting murdered by the inmates at Blackmoor but Ferguson believed she committed suicide and blames Will for her death. Since then, Ferguson had made life hell for Will and sabotaged his career multiple times. Even when Ferguson returned to Wentworth as a prisoner, she continued her war on Mr. Jackson. It ended with Ferguson killing Mr. Jackson after learning it was him, who buried her alive following Ferguson and Franky's escape several months ago"

She picks up her cup and drinks more of her tea 

Rita shakes her head in disbelief " Jesus Christ! It sounds like Ferguson is the devil"

It amazed Rita to know that Ferguson will go to any lengths to get revenge on her enemies

" Something tells me, that there's more. So go on" urging Liz to continue with the story 

After finishing what was left in her cup, Liz places her empty cup back onto the table and wipes her lips

" Ferguson is the devil incarnate, love. As you know the rivalry between Ferguson and Bea ended with Bea's death. You see! Bea was in love with a woman named Allie Novak, it was different for Bea because she's never been with a woman. Anyway, Bea was going to be used as Nils's star witness at Ferguson's trial and Ferguson couldn't allow that to happen. So in order to stop Bea, Ferguson attacked Allie and gave her enough hot shot to make Bea think Allie was going to die. With Bea's death, Ferguson rose to Top Dog but that ended with Kaz, Allie and Franky putting Ferguson on trial, resulting in Ferguson getting lynched and to her escape"

" When Allie told the women, she killed Ferguson by having her buried alive with help from Mr. Jackson and Mr. Stewart. Everyone was relieved until Ferguson returned with Ms. Bennett. It didn't take long for Ferguson to get her revenge on Kaz and Allie before becoming Top Dog again. Which is why you and Nicole" Liz briefly looked at Nicole " Need to stay away from Ferguson or you'll wish you have never been born" Liz added

Nicole stands up and grabs her mug " Well you don't have to worry about me going near her. Especially after what you told us. Fuck that" she heads over to the sink and pours what is left of her tea down the drain 

Just hearing all the awful things Ferguson has done to everyone is enough to send chills down Nicole's spine and making sure she doesn't go anywhere near the Freak. Even if they were to pass each other in the corridor, Nicole will not even make eye contact with the woman, unless she's being spoken to 

As for Rita, it was evident to her now more than ever to avoid Ferguson at all costs. She didn't like what Ferguson has done and intimidating the prisoners into submission, but she's not going to risk adding extra time to her sentence 

Better to keep your head down and stay out of sight, until the time came for your parole hearing and whether or not releasing you would be a good decision 

Rita shakes her head in disbelief " Unfucking believable" looking back at Liz " I take it, Ferguson murdered Allie as well and anyone else that got in her way"

Liz nodded " Yeah! When Ferguson was the Governor, she tortured an inmate named Jodi Spiteri to the point, where Jodi had tried ripping her right eye out of its socket and transferring the poor woman to the psychiatric unit. Ferguson is a master manipulator and will do whatever it takes to achieve her twisted goals" she replied 

She scoffs " Hell! Ferguson put four women into hospital when they tried to kill her in the yard" shakes her head

" There's one thing I don't get"

Liz and Rita turned their heads to Nicole who was busy wiping her mug clean

Nicole met their gaze " Why is the other Governor, Vera Bennett, with Ferguson. She must know Ferguson is a monster. So why be with her or much less kept her hidden after the escape?" 

She places the cup on the second shelf and returns to the table

Liz looked at Nicole " Crazy as this sounds both Vera and Ferguson are in a relationship. They had a history as well which involved a lot of manipulation and underhanded tactics on both sides. But after Vera saved Ferguson during the lynching, keeping her hidden at Vera's house. Apparently, they made up and got together. Ferguson even used Vera as part of her scheme to become Top Dog again, by making everyone think Ferguson was abusing Vera. Just so that Vera could be Ferguson's spy"

Rita folded her arms " I tell you, this woman is something else. She's unlike anyone, I've heard or seen before. But after what happened at dinner with everyone going quiet when Ferguson walked into the room, it makes sense

She hated Ferguson. She hated what the woman has done and the lives Ferguson has destroyed, but Rita reminds herself about getting involved

Not just her sentence but those she holds dear

Nicole sighed " Well this stinks"

H1 went into an awkward silence as the conversation about Ferguson's history with Wentworth had dampened the spirits for Rita, Nicole, and Liz. The destruction, the untold misery the Freak has inflicted is enough for anyone to become severely depressed

Liz tries to lighten the mood by changing the topic " So what are you two in for? Robbing a bank?" she chuckled 

Nicole smiles and shakes her head " Not me. I'm in for DUI but..." pointing her thumb at Rita in gesture " Rita has"

" Aint that right, Rit" Nicole lightly nudges Rita's shoulder with an elbow 

Liz blinked " Oh yeah?" turning her attention to Rita " How did that happen?"

She pleased to see her attempts of lightening the mood proved to be successful 

Rita half smiled as she looked at Nicole first then Liz " I trusted some asshole named Slade into robbing a bank because neither of us wanted to spend our entire lives in a gang. We wanted a fresh start" she paused " At least I wanted a fresh start. Slade on the other hand? he loved the thrill of being chased by the cops. It led to me crashing the car into the countryside and him ditching me"

Liz raised an eyebrow " Wow! That's like a scene out of a movie" she said 

Nicole giggled in amusement " That's is exactly what I said "

Liz kept her gaze on Rita " So what happened to Slade? Did he end up getting caught in the end? He must be by now" she asked 

Rita shrugs her shoulders " I don't know but he better prey, we never cross paths again"

At that moment, the trio let out a much-needed laugh as the mood before had been depressive and uncomfortable


	7. Unpleasant Morning

During the early hours of the morning with only an hour before breakfast, Sonia Stevens and her crew departed from H3 and began making their way over to the kitchen. Sonia believes that if her plans to murder Ferguson and become Top Dog are to be successful, she needs to arrange a deal with Kim Chang

Sonia knew she wasn't physically strong to take on the Freak. So why go there? It's better to know what your strengths are and how to use them. Which is exactly what the socialite is doing 

Instead of confronting Ferguson and making her intentions of wanting to be Top Dog known, Sonia is going to hide in the shadows and wait for the right opportunity to strike. She did it before and nearly succeeded until Vera had to come in and save the Freak who was literally at death's door 

But why visit Kim Chang in the dining room? What could she possibly have to offer Sonia in her quest for power?

Simple!

Sonia knew Kim ran with Tina's crew before disbanded due to Tina's death. Plus Kim will have known Tina's contacts on smuggling in drugs and other items that the prisoners needed for various reasons 

There was one that came to Sonia's mind and she needed it to take Ferguson down 

" Are you sure about this?" Jade asked as she walked alongside her leader " I know you want to be in charge. Me and the girls think you'll do an excellent job as Top Dog. But this is the fucking Freak we are talking about!. If she catches wind of this. We're fucking dead"

Jade wanted to be sure that Sonia has thought this through very carefully. Knowing full well Ferguson is not someone to be taken very lightly 

This comment alone made Sonia stopped walking, which made Maria and three other members stop as well 

Sonia turned to Jade " Are you questioning my leadership, Slater?" frowning at her 

Jade shakes her head " No! I'm just concerned is all. This doesn't affect you. It affects all of us. I trust you with my life and you've been like a mother to me after I told you who my sister was and her history within this place"

Sonia half smiled at Jade " I appreciate your concerns but you have nothing to worry about. Just as long as no one mentions my plan to anyone or gives a certain someone probable cause to derail our efforts" patting Jade's shoulder 

" My plan will work. Trust me" 

Jade smiled back " I trust you"

Two minutes later, Sonia and her crew arrive in the dining room with Jade and Maria opening the doors for their leader to enter in first 

" Thank you!" Sonia said as she entered further into the room before turning right and making her way over towards the kitchen 

Kim and a few other prisoners were busy preparing breakfast and didn't notice Sonia's standing in the doorway with her crew

" Kim"

Kim turned around to face Sonia " What do you want?"

Sonia moved closer to Kim " To offer a deal that will be most satisfying" she replied 

The other prisoners who were involved in making breakfast immediately left the kitchen to give both Sonia and Kim their privacy

Kim raised an eyebrow " What kind of deal?" 

Sonia kept her gaze on Kim " I need you to use one of your contacts to bring in something for me. I'm happy to pay, just as long as I get what I want" she said 

Kim lets out an amusing chuckle " Are you fucking serious?"

She believed Sonia wanted her to smuggle in drugs for her. Never in a million years did Kim think that Sonia was a drug user

Hell! Sonia doesn't even look like she's addicted to anything. Yet! here she is willing to pay for Kim's services

Sonia nodded " I'm deadly serious"

" Are you fucked in the head?" Kim asked as she pointed a finger at her head in a gesture 

There is no way she is going to smuggle in drugs for Sonia or anyone for that matter. Not after hearing Rebecca spreading the news that anyone who brings in drugs, will have to face punishment from Ferguson 

And after hearing how Kaz was killed. Kim isn't going to risk her life, just because Sonia is willing to pay big money for it 

Kim shakes her head " No! Didn't you hear what Rebecca said? Anyone caught smuggling in drugs or even using them will have to face The Freak. And there's no fucking way I'm going near that bitch"

" Go find someone else" Kim added as she turned her back to Sonia and continued making porridge for the prisoner

Sonia stares at Kim " That's why I'm here. I think we both know Joan killed Tina" she then walks over to where Kim is " Don't you want payback for your friend? You two were tight. Were you not?"

Kim doesn't look at Sonia " More like business partners....but yeah" she replied

Sonia smiled " Well then? Don't you think you owe it to Marcado? As for Joan, don't worry about her. I'll take care of that" she said confidently 

Kim scoffed at Sonia " You? You taking out Ferguson? Please!" she walked past Sonia and headed to the freezer 

The thought of Sonia taking on Ferguson was absurd to Kim. If Bea, Kaz, Allie and Franky couldn't, then what makes Sonia think she can?

No one can stop Ferguson. No one

Sonia doesn't give up " It's true, Chang. Who else organized for Joan to be lynched after being put on trial? Franky? Kim? Liz?" shakes her head " None of them could think like me"

" That was you?" Kim turned around to face Sonia again " Hanging Ferguson? That was all you?" she had to know for sure so she wasn't hearing things 

Sonia nodded with pride

Kim refused to believe it " That was all you? Did you plan it with the others? Fuck off" it had to have been a mistake 

" It's not a mistake you moron. Sonia organized Ferguson's lynching and came close to killing her until Vera had to stick her nose in where it didn't belong" Jade interjected 

Kim and Sonia tilted their heads towards Jade

Sonia smiled at Jade " Thank you for your input, but I can handle this" turning her attention back on Kim " After Joan forced me to use my workshop as a way to smuggle in drugs, I wasn't just going to sit by and do nothing. You see...." pausing for a moment 

She slowly approaches Kim " Everyone that has crossed Joan always made that one crucial mistake. They let Joan knew they were coming after her, so it gave her ample opportunity to plan their downfall. Me? I'm doing things very differently. Instead of attacking Joan head-on, I'm going to attack from behind but I can't do that without your help" 

Kim said nothing

Sonia now stands in front of Kim " I need you to bring in a needle with the hotshot drug. When the time is right, I'm going to inject it into Joan's neck. When she is incapacitated, I'll finish her off with one fatal stab to the heart" she smiled sinisterly 

Kim stared at Sonia " What's in it for me? If I were to help you?" she wasn't going to use one of Tina's contacts without a little something in return 

Sonia takes a deep breath " If you're with me. Total immunity and an opportunity to continue with the drug trade and any retaliation from Joan's crew will be dealt with by mine" 

Kim ponders over whether or not to accept Sonia's deal of an alliance. It is risky given that anyone who crosses Ferguson is met with extreme force. But she does hate the Freak as much as the others do 

" Do I have your word?"

Sonia nodded " Absolutely"

Kim holds out her hand as acceptance with Sonia shaking Kim's hand 

Sonia smiled " You've made the right choice, Kim"

 

Elsewhere, Nicole headed over to the shower block with her belongings, wanting to have a quick shower before breakfast. She loses herself in train of thought about her family and how she came to be in Wentworth 

Nicole is wearing a light green shirt with pink pants for pajamas and a purple nightgown 

She knew she shouldn't have taken her parent's car out for joyride while under intoxication and yet, Nicole did it anyway out of spite. Given the fact, the last time Nicole used their car, she ended up getting parking fines

Plus Nicole wanted a car of her own and when she didn't get it, she chose to use her parents' car instead and began to misuse it

If she wanted a car so badly, she should have gotten herself a job, instead of relying on her parents to get her one

Nicole now believes her time in Wentworth will straighten her out and perhaps make think on what she wants to do with her life. She had dreams. Big dreams. But was nervous to take the next step forward in realizing them

" When I get out of here. I'll make things right" Nicole vowed silently in her head 

As she headed inside the shower block, Nicole accidentally bumps into Raven and Rebecca who were just leaving 

" Woah! Watch where you're going blondie" Raven frowned at Nicole 

Nicole takes a step back " I'm sorry. You're right, I should have watched where I was going " looking at Raven 

" With all due respect, you're a blonde as well and my name is Nicole" the newbie added 

Raven shakes her head " Can you believe this girl?" tilting her head to her girlfriend 

" So disrespectful!" Rebecca said to Raven 

Nicole looked at them " I'm not being disrespectful, I'm stating that my name isn't blonde and your friend has the same hair color as me. Plus..." now giving her full attention to Ferguson's enforcer " I don't appreciate you cutting in line or pushing me to the back last night" 

" The balls of this bitch" Rebecca shakes her head in disbelief, " I think you need to teach her lesson in respect, babe" looking at Nicole 

Without warning, Raven grabs Nicole by the collar of her shirt and slams the newbie into a nearby wall. Which caused Nicole to drop her towel, her teal uniform and her basket of toiletries

Raven tightens her hold " Listen you little bitch. Do you know who I am and do you know who I work for?"

Nicole felt her heart beating rapidly at Raven's sudden outburst with her anxiety now kicking in 

Raven yelled "HUH!!' Do you?"

" Mawwwww look at the little princess. Not so tough now are you?" Rebecca mocked 

Nicole tried breaking Raven's grip but to no avail as she felt Raven pressing her body into the bricked wall behind her " You're hurting me!"

Raven scoffed " I haven't even begun hurting you" she throws Nicole to the ground and starts slamming her foot into Nicole's stomach

" My name is Raven Logan and you better show me respect, the next time you see me"

Nicole yelped from Raven's kick to her stomach 

Rebecca grinned at her girlfriend " I don't think she gets it"

Raven nodded in agreement as she started kicking Nicole again and again


	8. It's Not Over

Ferguson slowly lowered the handlebar of the steam press, her eyes scanning at the prisoners around the laundry room as they were busy folding sheets, towels and placing dirty items into the washing machine

No one dared to speak or much less utter a word. They didn't want the wrath of Ferguson coming down on them like a ton of bricks. Plus the horrifying image of the Freak placing Kaz's head in the steam press and using it to kill her is still fresh in their minds 

It's one thing to punish an inmate for breaking the rules by burning their hands, but to place one's head in the steam press and burn them to the point where they actually die is another thing entirely 

All of Ferguson's predecessors never acted or much less thought about the possibility of using the steam press as a murder weapon. There might have been a threat here and a threat there, but no one had the courage to go through with it 

By killing Kaz and forcing a few of the inmates to watch, everyone knew Ferguson had meant business and she will no longer tolerate any insubordination among her peers 

You either follow Ferguson's orders without question and do as your told. Or you can stand against her and suffer the consequences 

Not wanting to work in total silence, Ferguson had played one of her favorite songs - Ode To Perfection on a CD player which was placed on a small table next to the steam press 

Meanwhile, on the table not far from Ferguson, Rita and the gang are folding towels and sheets. Rita glared at Raven briefly before Ferguson caught Rita's gaze on her enforcer 

Before coming into the laundry room, Rita was in the medical unit with Nicole who was being treated for her injuries sustained by Raven. Nicole suffered bruised ribs, a bruised kidney and a black eye on her left 

When Nurse Radcliff asked hope Nicole had obtained her injuries, despite the fact she knew Nicole would lie about them. The young newbie told Radliff she was fooling around by dancing in the shower block before slipping and falling 

In fact, it was Rita who had found her friend in the shower block and brought her to medical. When Radcliff had left to attend to another inmate in the next room momentarily, Nicole told Rita of her encounter with Raven and Rebecca and how it led her to be assaulted 

Rita relayed what Nicole had said to her 

" She attacked me for no good reason. I tried being nice to Raven and asked politely to call me by my real name, plus I told her it was rude that she cut in front of me during dinner last night"

Rita couldn't believe the audacity of it. To attack someone who politely asked to be called by their real name and an apology for the other's rudeness is pointless and pathetic 

She had no problems with Ferguson being in charge but to have her own crew throwing their weight around and attacking her friend for no good reason is a different story 

" Fucking cunt" Rita muttered as she placed a folded towel in the basket beside her 

With the anger building inside of her, Rita fights off the temptation to confront Raven and tell Ferguson how to do her job. Knowing it wouldn't do herself any favors

Rita is fighting back the urge to go over and tell Ferguson how to do her job before knocking Raven's block off. Knowing it wouldn't do herself any favors with the Freak and the stories of what happens to those that make themselves an enemy out of Ferguson 

Liz looked at Rita " There's no point in getting involved, love. What Raven did was wrong, but you don't want to get yourself involved and to raise Ferguson's attention" urging Rita to come to her senses

Rita locked eyes with Liz " I'm trying. I'm really trying, Liz. But when I see that cunt, it makes my blood boil. I mean to do what she did to Nikki was uncalled for. She's not the boss. Ferguson is" 

She then looks back at Raven again who had just placed a bed sheet down on the bottom of the steam press

" Give me one good reason, why I shouldn't go over there" Rita quietly whispered to Liz 

Ferguson catches Rita's stare at Raven " Something the matter Connors?"

Liz shakes her head " Nah, nothing's wrong with Rita. Isn't that right?" looking at Rita 

" Birdsworth"

Liz tilted her head to Ferguson 

Ferguson gave Liz a stern look " Rita can speak for herself" now turning her attention back to Rita " Can't you"

Rita nodded in reply 

She's trying desperately to fight back the urge to confront Ferguson and Raven, but the little voice inside Rita is telling her to do the right thing and stand up for her friend 

Ferguson kept her gaze on Rita " Well? I've noticed you looking at Logan several times already. What seems to be the problem?" she raises the handlebar of the steam press 

All eyes in the laundry room were now locked onto Rita and Ferguson

" Do you have the hots for me or something?" Raven smirked at Rita as she stood beside Ferguson " Sorry, I'm already taken"

Rita gives into temptation and storms over to Ferguson and Raven. She couldn't let her friend down and after seeing that smirk on Ferguson's enforcer, Rita had to do something

Even if it meant risking her life

Rita stands in front of the steam press " I do have a problem, Joan, and it's with this bitch standing next to you" glaring at Raven 

Raven raised an eyebrow " Excuse me?"

" Aren't you going to tell Ferguson what you did? Huh? Aren't you going to tell her what a fucking bitch you were before breakfast" Rita kept a cold gaze on the MMA fighter

Raven raised an eyebrow " I have no idea what you're talking about Rita"

Rita frowned " Don't fucking lie to me. You know what you did" she replied 

Ferguson looked at Rita " You'll have to be more specific if you claim Logan has done something that offended you " she suggested

Not even Ms. Miles who was watching this confrontation unfold from the supervising room had bothered to step in and order Ferguson, Rita and Raven to get back to work. Like the others, she was intrigued to see where this confrontation may lead 

Rita shakes her head as she kept her gaze on Raven while addressing Ferguson " Not me but a friend of mine. Nicole Linus. The woman who your friend here beat to a pulp in the shower block for no good reason"

" Oh please" Raven rolls her eyes " Nikki had it coming for being so disrespectful towards me!" she said unapologetically to Rita 

She has no remorse for attacking Nicole. And why should she? It was Nicole's fault for bumping into Raven and not watching where she was going in the first place

Rita frowned " Really? Just exactly what did Nicole do? All she did was asked to be called her by her proper name and not by the color of her hair" bawling her hand into a fist 

Ferguson noticed the sudden action in Rita's fist

" People who want respect. Give respect, Raven" Rita told Raven as she turned her attention to Ferguson " I have no problems with you being in charge. But what Raven did?" shaking her head " It's unacceptable"

Ferguson admired Rita's strength in standing up for her friend and not being afraid of the consequences. She really didn't care what happened to Nicole, but as she stared at Rita, Ferguson is reminded of her old nemesis Bea Smith and the rivalry they once had 

Is it possible that Rita may become an enemy in the near future? Ferguson now considers this as a possibility

But if Rita is to become an enemy, Ferguson will have this woman closely watched by her crew, just in case if Rita had any plans to become Top Dog

Ferguson snaps out of her thoughts " If Linus watched where she was going, none of us would be having this conversation right now" making it clear that Raven isn't going to be punished 

Rita stared quizzically at Ferguson "So you're not going to do anything"

Ferguson shakes her head " No! But in future, Logan" tilting her head to her enforcer " Call Nicole by her name" she said

Rita couldn't believe what she was hearing " That's it? A simple telling off?"

She knows she's only been in Wentworth for very long, but from her understanding on what it means to be a Top Dog. Not just showing everyone's boss, but punish those that did wrong and actually care for the benefit of the women

Then again this is Ferguson and what Rita has heard about her, she shouldn't be surprised or offended but she is at this point in time 

Ferguson replied " It takes two to tango, Connors"

" You heard her" Raven walked around the steam press so she can get closer to Rita " I will address your friend by her proper name. But I'm willing to be the better woman. Tell Nikki that I am sorry for being rough with her" now standing in front of Rita 

Rita locked eyes with Raven " Go fuck yourself" knowing full well Raven's apology wasn't sincere

Her balled fist is shaking furiously, just wanting to be unleashed on the woman standing before her 

Raven gets in Rita's face " You want a piece of me? Do you? I would drop you in five seconds" she said coldly 

" Alright, that's enough you two. Unless you want to be slotted" 

Raven, Rita and everyone else turned to Ms. Miles 

Rita nodded " Yeah alright Ms. Miles. We're just messing around" 

As she goes to turn her back on Raven and return to her own table, Rita felt her arm being grabbed and being pulled back to Ferguson's enforcer 

Raven leans into Rita's ear and whispers " This isn't over. So I'd watch my back, If I were you" she then lets go of Rita's arm and returned to her area behind the steam press 

Rita nodded " Darn right, it's not over" she muttered to herself as she traded looks with Ferguson before returning to her own table and folding more sheets


	9. My Time

Rita unleashes her fury on the punching bag in the prison gym yard, after her confrontation with Raven and knowing Ferguson wasn't taking what happened to Nicole seriously, she had to unleash her anger on something 

Her punches kept coming left right and center as the punching bag kept getting knocked back 

Rita pictures the punching bag as if she was fighting Raven Logan, she never thought would have this much hate for anybody, but she does. The nerve of that woman for stating her reasons as to why she attacked Nicole in the shower block 

All because Nicole didn't show respect. Please! Rita knows as much as anyone that if somebody wants respect, you give respect to the people around you and not act like a total asshole

" Now you're threatening me? Telling me to watch my back" Rita gives the punching bag another good slam

As far as Rita is concerned, she has no respect for Raven and believed Raven did it just because she's in Ferguson's crew and can do whatever the hell she wants. It wasn't about getting respect

Rita ducked and delivered two more punches to the bag " Wait till I get my hands on you"

When she's through with Raven, not only will Rita take Ferguson's enforcer down a notch, but also make her regret crossing Rita and Nicole. Raven will be a totally different woman, once Rita was done with her 

And as for Ferguson, Rita is disgusted on how unwilling the Freak was to punish Raven and put most of the blame on Nicole. Sure, people bump into each other all the time. It's not like Nicole went out of her way to intentionally bump into Raven and Rebecca 

It was an accident

Rita now fully understands the meaning of Hell on Earth as Wentworth is that fiery demented realm filled with misery and Ferguson as Satan Incarnate 

" I'd hate to be on the other side of those fists"

Rita tilts her head towards her left and sees Sonia and her crew on the other side of the barred fence

Sonia smiled at Rita " You must be one hell of a fighter" 

Rita uses the back palm of her right hand to wipe the sweat off her forehead " You think that's impressive. Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet" she replied

She then makes her way over to the barred fence " I'm Rita Connors"

" Sonia Stevens. A pleasure to meet you, but it's a shame we can't shake hands" Sonia said

Rita uses her thumb to point at the door at the far end from where she was standing " Door's over there if you want to make this more formal"

Sonia shakes her head " I can't stay, I have places to be. Things to do" she told Rita

From what she witnessed with Rita's punches towards the punching bag, Sonia believed Rita could be very useful to her and may need Rita's protection should her plans with Ferguson backfire

Rita nodded " Alright.... well it was nice meeting you then" she then started to make her way back over to the punching bag

Sonia watches Rita leaving " I heard about what happened between you and Raven in laundry this morning. Especially how you stood up to not only her but Joan Ferguson as well. It takes a lot of courage to stand up to a woman like her"

Rita turned around to face Sonia " All I did was standing up for my friend. Raven had no right to do what she did, and she's going to be sorry when I'm through with her" she replied

She plans to not only defeat and humiliate Raven but to send Ferguson's enforcer to the hospital and put her out of action for a while

It's the least that Raven deserved 

Sonia nodded " I agree.....what Logan did was uncalled for. Which is why I am willing to make you an offer" she said as if she was car salesperson who's about to suck in her next victim to one of those cheap cars that break down after two months of purchases 

Rita shakes her head " Sorry but I'm not interested" wanting to stick to her policy of not getting involved in prison politics

She only did what she was because Nicole was her friend and wanted Ferguson to punish Raven, but obviously, that didn't happen 

Sonia's face fell " You haven't heard my offer yet"

Rita half smiled at Sonia " What could you possibly have to offer that would make me accept?" she asked

Sonia looked from side to side before turning her attention back to Rita " Come closer and I will tell you. If word gets out about what I'm planning to do, I'll be a dead woman walking"

Even though she is surrounded by her crew for protection, Sonia still didn't want to take any chances with her plans for Ferguson. She knows she'll only have one shot at taking the Freak down and can't afford an inmate passing by or even the screws to listen in on what she's about to offer Rita 

Rita sighed deeply " Fine" she made her way back to the barred fence that stood between her and Sonia " I'm listening"

Sonia looked at Rita " I'm planning to take Joan down and replace her as Top Dog. That psycho has been in charge long enough and for too long I've played second fiddle to the likes of her and Kaz. It's my time to be in control" she said firmly 

" Which is where you come in, I can't take Joan out myself and neither can these wonderful ladies standing around me. They are strong and don't get me wrong" Sonia turned to Jade and the other members of her crew " I love you all and your loyalty to me is much appreciated, but we know Ferguson will make mincemeat out of all of you"

Sonia turned her attention back to Rita " In return for you helping me, I'll help you get revenge on Logan and anyone else that has a problem with you. This way, I get what I want and you get what you want" she added

Rita smirked " What did Joan do to piss you off?" deciding to indulge Sonia's hatred for the Freak 

She's already made up her mind about Sonia's offer and as tempting as it was, she's going to get revenge on Raven on her own terms without anyone's help and making sure neither Craven or the screws catch wind of it that may tamper with Rita's sentence 

Sonia kept her gaze on Rita " I started up a workshop in this place that would give something for the women to do. Give them a purpose. But not long after Joan became Top Dog, she wanted to use my workshop as a place to smuggle in drugs. I stood my ground and said no"

" But obviously that didn't sit well with Ferguson and she harassed you. Correct?" Rita asked

Sonia needed " That's correct. Later on, though I gave in and allowed her to use my workshop. Joan thought I did it because of the speech she gave on how similar we are, but I did it just to get on side and plan for her downfall. Which is exactly what I did, when Kaz placed Joan on trial" she smiled at the memory

She remembered how angry Ferguson was when she delivered her speech to the prisoners on how much they needed her and without them, they are nothing. Plus it's also because Joan knew she had been bested by Kaz 

" Kaz had only planned Joan's trial as a way for her to become Top Dog again. But I had other ideas. With several of the junkies, I organized Joan's lynching and once Kaz was crowned as Top Dog again. We pushed her out of our way and placed the noose around Ferguson's neck. Soon Joan was hanging up like a pinata, gasping for air while choking"

Sonia sadistically smiled at the memory of how frightened Ferguson was when the noose went around her neck and trying her hardest to break it as she was being lifted up

She was so close that day. So close into killing Ferguson and rightfully taking her seat at the throne 

Sonia's smile quickly faded " Then Vera Bennett had to step in and save Joan" she looked back at Rita " By then, Joan knew she was finished and made her escape through one of two boxes that were to be delivered to a factory outside of Wentworth. Which caused my workshop to be closed permanently. Then afterward I challenged Kaz Proctor for control which lasted several months before Joan returned. Joan stole the spotlight from me and with revenge in her sights, I knew I had to wait and bide my time"

Rita kept her gaze on Sonia " And now you believe it is your time to take over and not be a pushover" she said 

As she listened to Sonia's story and how the sadistic pleasure the socialite took when discussing Ferguson's lynching was all Rita needed to know about Sonia and to never get herself involved with 

If what Sonia said is true, then she is just as bad as Ferguson is, maybe even worse. To organize something like that and joyfully detailing the Freak's strangulation is beyond disturbing for Rita

" Maybe I should tell Joan what this psycho is planning and she'll hand me Raven on a silver platter!" Rita thought to herself 

Sonia needed " It is my time and I will take what is mine. So I suggest you think about my offer very carefully, Rita. We could be a great team. You and me. Besides you don't want to hang around with the likes of Liz and Susan"

Rita raised an eyebrow " What's wrong with Liz and Boomer?" she asked

Sonia smiled at Rita " Liz is a drunken old hag, who will turn on you with the snap of the finger. She did that to me by conspiring with a detective to keep me imprisoned for a crime, I did not commit. As for Susan, while she is useful as a bodyguard, but she's acting like a stubborn twelve years old and not exactly intelligent " 

She hasn't forgotten her promise to murder Liz and as soon as Sonia has taken care of Ferguson, she'll be setting her sights on her old nemesis

Rita frowned at Sonia's comments towards Liz and Boomer "They seem ok to me"

Sonia lets out an amusing chuckle " Trust me, they are not. But if you don't believe me, ask them yourself"

She then turns to her left " When you've made a decision about my offer, let me know and just between us, I hope you choose wisely" she then walks away with her crew with Rita watching her


	10. Unexpected Development

" Can you believe the nerve of that bitch!" Raven said angrily as she sat across from her girlfriend Rebecca on one of the picnic benches in the main prison yard. Raven hasn't known Rita for very long, but after their encounter in the laundry room, Raven already despises her 

Raven jerked back in her seat " I mean seriously! Rita has only been here for five minutes and she thinks she knows everything" shaking her head in complete disgust " Those who want respect, give respect" she said in a mocking tone

" I earned my respect by killing my fucking uncle for touching me. I did what neither the police or anyone in the courts could do. I fucking killed a pedophile christ's sake"

Rebecca smiled warmly at her enraged girlfriend " Calm down Ravey or one of your veins will start popping out from your forehead" she uses one hand to reach over and grab hold of Raven's right hand and rubs it gently to calm Raven 

She knew by grabbing hold of Raven's hand or even rubbing it gently, it was the only way to calm her girlfriend down. Since Raven is known in the general population for having a huge temper, when someone rubs Ferguson's enforcer the wrong way 

" Deep breaths honey" Rebecca kept smiling at Raven " You've earned the right to be respected as much as Joan and anyone else in this place. Everyone knows your a hero for standing up to your sick uncle and giving him justice"

Rebecca continued to gently rub Raven's palm with her thumb " As for Rita? Fuck her! She doesn't know shit" she added 

Raven kept her gaze on Rebecca " Damn right, she doesn't know shit. But when I'm through with her, Rita will wish she had never been born. In fact" a sinister smile grew on her face " By the time I'm done with her, Rita will ask Craven to be moved into protection"

" Ohhhhh get you" Rebecca replied with a smirk " I love it when you want to get even with somebody. It's fucking hot. What do you have planned for the bitch?" she asked curiously 

Raven gave Rebecca a wicked smirk " I'm gonna shiv her. It'll be worse than what Joan did to Bea and should Rita survive her ordeal, she's going to regret ever crossing me"

All the anger that had been building inside the MMA fighter had now disappeared thanks to Rebecca's delicate rubbing on her hand. Raven always liked to fell Rebecca's soft touch in her hands or anyone on Raven's body for that matter 

The relationship between Rebecca and Raven was one of those stories that no one ever thought would ever happen. They started off being best friends after meeting each other and trading stories on how they ended up in Wentworth 

As time went on and the two became close, it was clear that both of them had feelings for each other that went far above for what is considered a normal friendship. For Raven it was no issue because she is a lesbian and became attracted to Rebecca on the first day, Raven had met her 

While Rebecca was conflicted with her feelings because she developed feelings for another woman before since Rebecca had been mainly interested in men

But on one night that all changed during a night alone in H5, both parties had finally confessed their feelings for one another. However, Raven told Rebecca that she wasn't worthy of love or acceptance when she went into full detail about her reason for being in Wentworth and being disowned by her family 

Since Raven had been very vague about the issue when first meeting Rebecca and only told the little minx, she was in for murder. But much to her shock, Rebecca didn't turn run away or became horrified. Instead, Rebecca was proud of Raven for taking justice into her own hands and convinced her, that if her family couldn't love or accept her for who she is, then they aren't worthy of Raven's love

It didn't take long for them to share their first kiss after that

" Serves Rita right" Rebecca grinned " Plus Nicole deserved what she got in the shower block. She bumped into you and started giving you attitude. You had to do something!" she said 

Raven nodded in agreement " Damn right I had to do something and Nicole is lucky I went easy on her. If I wanted too, I could have broken her leg or shiv her. But I didn't and you know why"

" And why is that my dear?" Rebecca asked

Raven smiled at her girlfriend " Because I'm a good person. I may seem like a cold hard bitch but deep down I am a good person. I'm, not a sick fuck, who likes to take pleasure in hurting others. Plus Nicole is a newbie, she didn't know any better. But I had to show her....."

Rebecca interjected" You're tough but fair" finishing off on what her girlfriend was about to say

She lets go of Raven's hand and tucks a lock of her hair into the back of her right ear 

Raven nodded " Exactly. See! You understand me. You and Joan"

" Speaking of which" Rebecca decided to the change the topic " What do you think of our grand leader being Top Dog? Pretty cool huh. Especially after all the stories we heard about her" she said with much enthusiasm

Even though she enjoyed Ferguson only being in control of their little crew, Rebecca had always wanted to see Ferguson take charge on a much grander scale as the Top Dog and see how everyone coped with it

Needless to say, Rebecca has not been disappointed 

Raven smiled as she tilted her head towards her left to gaze at the other prisoners who were minding their own business " Honestly?" turning her attention back to Rebecca " I fucking love it. Everyone is scared shitless and it's interesting seeing Joan as Top Dog"

" I know right" Rebecca grinned at her girlfriend " It's amazing the power influence Joan has over these women. They hate her and they fear her. But they can't do anything to stop her because Joan has proved time and time again, that she's invincible" she said happily 

She enjoyed her private sessions with Ferguson and getting inside her mind on how to manipulate others and working the system. It'll come in very handy should Rebecca have any aspirations of replacing Ferguson as Top Dog in the future 

Raven rested her arms on the picnic table" And to think we get to roll with her. Joan doesn't do that for anyone since most people hate her. But we? We are different. We're not sheep, who listened to the story of how evil Joan is. We made up our own minds and we like her for who she is"

" Amen babe" Rebecca replied

Raven soon notices Sonia arriving with her crew in the yard " Speaking of Joan, you think Sonia still wants to take her spot?" nudging her head forward for Rebecca and motioned her girlfriend to turn around and look 

Rebecca tilts her head towards her back and sees Sonia heading over to a bench that is located at the back of the yard with her crew " Nah" shaking her head as she turned her attention back to Raven " After what happened with Kaz, I don't think Sonia would be that stupid"

As far as she was concerned, no one will ever challenge the Freak for her spot ever again, now that everyone has seen and heard what happened to Kaz with the steam press

Plus given Ferguson's history with her enemies, it's pointless to take her on because you know you will not win in the end 

Raven raised an eyebrow " You think? Sonia and Joan made a truce shortly before Kaz's death and Joan's ascension, Sonia did say she'll be coming after her" not sounding too convinced that Sonia hasn't given up on her plans to become Top Dog 

She glances at Sonia and her crew again

Rebecca nodded " Yeah! As smart as Sonia is, she wouldn't want her head in the steam press or having something far worse done to her" 

Raven shakes her head " I'm not sure about that" she said grimly

“ Babe! Do you know something that I don’t? If so Joan needs to know about it” Rebecca urged her girlfriend to spill the beans 

Raven takes a deep breath “ I heard a rumor in regards to Joan’s lynching the day before her escape” tilting her head to face her girlfriend 

“ What rumor?” Rebecca asked

Raven stared grimly at her girlfriend “ I heard it was Sonia who organized Joan’s lynching. While Kaz only wanted to put Joan on trial as a means to overthrow her, but Sonia had other ideas and wanted to kill Joan, so she could assume the position as Top Dog. She knew if anyone were to kill Ferguson, they would have their respect and their support”

At first, she didn’t believe the rumors and viewed Sonia as nothing more than a defenseless old woman, but after remembering Sonia’s brutal attack towards Mel Barrett who was a close friend to Kaz in the Red Right Hand and the attempt on Liz’s life

Raven started to believe the rumors 

Rebecca met Raven’s gaze “ Who did you hear this from?”

“ I heard Jade bragging about it to Tiffany in the kitchen when I stayed back to wipe down the tables after breakfast this morning” Raven replied 

Rebecca shakes her head in disbelief “Unfucking believable” disgusted at Sonia’s actions for organizing Ferguson’s lynching 

“ We have to report this to Joan!” Rebecca said firmly

As Rebecca went to stand up, she catches something intriguing from the corner of her left eye, which made her look towards her left and see Kim standing in front of Sonia

“ What the fuck is Kim doing with Sonia?”

Raven immediately looks in the same direction as her girlfriend was “ The plot thickens” 

Both Rebecca and Raven watched the conversation between Sonia and Kim unfold, with Sonia smiling at what Kim had to say. Whatever those two are talking about, it certainly didn’t sit well with Ferguson’s most trusted allies 

“ You don’t think” Rebecca muttered as she kept her eyes on Kim and Sonia

Raven shrugs her shoulders “ I don’t know, but I don’t like it”

“ Let’s go before they spot us!” Rebecca said to Raven before turning around and heading back inside

Raven quickly followed her girlfriend back inside as they made their way over to H5. They may not have all the facts, but after seeing Kim talking to Sonia and hearing about the rumor of Sonia organizing Ferguson’s lynching, they couldn’t stand by and do nothing 

They had to tell Ferguson what was going on and with their suspicions about Sonia, they couldn’t go over to her and Kim and demand what was going on or ask about the lynching. If Raven and Rebecca did that, Sonia would have to cover her tracks and be even sneakier and more cunning with her plans for Ferguson 

Two minutes later, Rebecca and Raven arrived into H5 with Ferguson sitting in her favorite armchair with a book in her hands. The book is Stephen King's The Shining 

“ Joan, we have some news’ Rebecca said as she and Raven approached Ferguson 

Ferguson lowered her book to gaze at the two “ And what news would that be? Connors acting up again?”

Raven shakes her head “ Nothing to do with Rita. It’s to do with Sonia” she shares a look with her girlfriend “ We think Sonia is planning something” looking back at Ferguson 

“ We saw her and Kim talking in the yard, which resulted in Sonia smiling about something..... she looked pleased with what Kim had to say” Rebecca explained 

Ferguson closes the book and places it on her lap “ Kim Chang? What could she possibly have to offer Stevens” viewing Kim nothing more than a mare junkie 

While she had no doubts Sonia was planning to make a move against her at some point, she didn’t see the point of Kim being involved with Sonia’s plans. Kim is a nobody, a junkie who used to ran with Tina’s crew before they disbanded 

"Unless Stevens is using Chang to bring in drugs!" Ferguson thought to herself 

Raven stared at Ferguson “ There is something else. Something that you may not like”

Ferguson eyed Raven “ Go on!” she said 

Raven takes a deep breath “ You know when the women lynched you?” pausing briefly out of respect for what Ferguson went through during the lynching 

She didn't want to dig up old wounds that may upset the Freak but had to because of the respect and loyalty Raven has towards this woman 

Ferguson nodded 

“ Sonia organized the lynching solely to replace you as Top Dog” Raven revealed 

On outside Ferguson appeared to be calm and unfazed by this sudden revelation, on the inside the Freak’s blood boiled with rage. She remembered how terrified she was standing at death’s door with no way out, the woman sadistically enjoying Ferguson’s suffering 

Ferguson thought Kaz was behind the lynching and not once assumed Sonia organized it. She wanted to dismiss the thought of Sonia being responsible for her lynching, but yet it made perfect sense 

Both Ferguson and Sonia are control freaks and will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. Even if it meant not getting directly involved and letting others doing their dirty work

In regards to killing Kaz, Ferguson had no regrets because she knew sooner or later Kaz would try and overthrow her again. But now that Ferguson knows Sonia was behind it, she’s going to unleash hell on nemesis and make Sonia pay for her crimes


	11. Reunion

It has been another successful day for Craven, the prisoners are still scared of Ferguson and don't object to Craven's harsh treatment by taking away their special privileges, that made them feel normal in Wentworth. Craven has taken away their TVs, removed all personal items in the prisoner cells, restricted their visits and only one phone call per day

And if things weren't already going well for the man. Earlier in the day, Craven was in a meeting with the board to discuss the murders of Allie Novak, Tina Marcardo, and Allie Novak and reviewing his reign as Wentworth's Governor 

Understandably the board was furious with Craven's inability to control Wentworth and prevent those three deaths. However, thanks to two of his friends on the board, the damage had been minimized and resulted in Craven getting nothing more than a slap on the wrist from his superiors 

With the day almost over and wanting to leave work early, Craven wastes no time in updating the staff roster on his computer

Everything is going according to plan. Not only is he in firm control over Wentworth but aligned himself with the Freak, who's been a big help towards his twisted goals, and pretty soon, Craven will be able to move into phase two with the prisoners

Knock Knock Knock 

" What is it?" Craven asked as he made few clicks with his mouse while keeping his eyes on the computer 

Tom opens the door " I need to talk to you"

Craven eyes Tom " Can it wait till morning? I'm supposed to be taking my wife out to dinner soon" he said

Tom shakes his head " It can't wait" 

Craven sighed " Very well, come in" now giving full attention to his colleague

Tom steps inside Craven's officer and closes the door behind him " Thank you Governor" he then moves over to Craven's desk 

It had only been a week since Craven had started throwing his weight around, which is something that didn't sit well with Tom. While he had no problems in being strict with the prisoners, Tom didn't like how Craven was taking away their privileges for no good reason 

Plus he thought it was very strange that as soon as Ferguson became Top Dog again, Craven had started to act and change the rules. Craven never did that during Kaz's reign, he pretty much did nothing until Ferguson took over 

Which adds more fuel to the fire about Tom's suspicions in regards to Craven having an alliance with Ferguson

Did they have something to do with Tina, Kaz and Allie's deaths? 

Did they have something to do with Franky turning her back on her friends and join the Freak's crew?

And why is it only now Craven became more strict with the prisoners?

More questions and no answers and while Tom does have his suspicions, he doesn't have any evidence to back it up 

Craven shrugs his shoulders " Well? What is it?" he sounded almost annoyed at the fact his colleague has been staring at him for a minute without saying anything 

Tom takes a deep breath " I think what your doing to the women is wrong. Why did you take away their privileges without a good reason? I know this is a prison and we shouldn't be easy on the women. But this? This isn't right"

Craven smiled " And there it is. Once again you question my leadership. If I didn't know it any better, I say you have a problem with how I run things" he said amusingly 

" Can you blame me? Before Ferguson took over as Top Dog. You did nothing. You carried on the same as Stewart and Channing did. But soon as Ferguson stepped up, everything changed" Tom replied 

Tom pulls out a chair and sits down " The prisoners are scared of Ferguson. And you?" he paused briefly " You've taken away their privileges and I'm pretty sure it's illegal. Unless there's an actual good reason, you're not allowed to do it" he added

Craven sarcastically replied "Listen to him. He knows everything"

Tom frowned " Do you think this is funny? Do you? I could report you to the board for this" he threatened

Ever since Craven arrived in Wentworth, Tom had no reason to like him. He tried though, he really tried for the sake of business, but the Governor never gave him a good reason too

To Tom, Craven seemed like a narcissistic asshole who thinks he's better than everyone else

Craven shakes his head " I don't think it's funny and I don't appreciate my colleagues threatening or making accusations about me" no longer amused by Tom's antics

" These women have had it easy for too damn long. They've been allowed to manipulate the system, kill each other, smuggle in drugs and only God knows what else goes in the general population. We've all seemed to have forgotten, they are prisoners for the reason. They broke the law and for that, they should have no rights. I mean really...TVs? Special spends on items like magazines and chocolates?" Craven made a "Pfft" sound

During his first week at Wentworth and looking into the history of the prisoners under his care, Craven was disgusted and shocked to see the privileges that the women were allowed to have, despite giving Wentworth an infamous reputation 

In Craven's mind, the only thing prisoners are allowed to have is food, cleaning products for the prisoners to use in the shower block, a phone call once a week and limiting visitations to twice a week 

Tom said nothing 

Craven continued " They need to realize prison isn't a holiday camp or a hotel. It's a place of punishment and repentance. Except for those that receive life sentences and in that case, it's their new home. Ferguson, Bennett, Channing, Davidson, and Stewart may have been soft on the women, but I won't be. I will not be manipulated, intimidated or be made a fool of. I will do whatever it takes to rehabilitate the women"

" Even if its illegal " Tom countered

Craven frowned " If you have a problem with how I run things, you know where the door is" he couldn't believe the nerve of this man telling him how to run his prison 

" As for my illegal methods" Craven mocked by bending two fingers on both hands " Take it up with the board. They know what I am doing and have approved it. It's an experiment. If you don't believe me, then please....please"

He turns the phone on his desk around for Tom to use " Call them yourself, I insist" calling Tom's bluff

Craven's had enough of Tom questioning his every move, for awhile he indulged Tom's fantasies of how evil he is and how he shouldn't be so mean to the prisoners, but Craven no longer finds it amusing 

Tom looked at Craven and then down at the phone deciding whether or not if Craven is actually telling the truth about the board knowing about this little experiment of his with the prisoners 

There's a part of him that wanted to make the phone call and find out himself if the Governor was telling the truth since it would be very unlikely the board would allow anyone in Craven's position to take away privileges as part of an experiment

And yet! Craven had no issues in allowing Tom to use his own phone to make a call to one of the board members. If someone was lying about something and they didn't want it to be found out, they wouldn't allow that person accusing of them to do what Craven is offering right now 

Not if their job is on the line, which makes Tom second guess himself and believes that Craven is actually telling the truth 

Tom sighs and shakes his head " No! It's fine" choosing not to make the call and take Craven's word for it 

Craven turns the phone around back to its original setting " I don't want to be your enemy, Mr. Shepherd. I know I may seem like an asshole and my intentions may seem wrong, but everything I do is by the book" he lied 

He now wondered if Tom could pose a serious problem to his future plans since this is the second time Tom has confronted him about his leadership over Wentworth. The Governor didn't appreciate being questioned by this man all the time 

" Now if your done playing detective, I have a dinner date with my wife to attend to!" Craven said as he looked at Tom 

Tom met Craven's gaze " I still think its interesting that you started this right after Ferguson became Top Dog. You know the women are terrified of her and they would have no objections to carrying out her orders or those made by the Governor. If a Top Dog and the Governor were in an alliance that is. You could have started all of this on your very first day but chose not to. Why is that?"

He truly believed Craven has an alliance with the Freak and together they conjured a plan to take over Wentworth and removing anyone foolish enough to stand in their way. But without any proof to back up his claims, Tom can't do anything about it 

Craven takes in a deep breath " What did curiosity do to the cat?" ignoring Tom's questions in regards to the alliance with Ferguson 

Tom glares at Craven " Is that a threat?"

Craven smiles and shakes his head " No! But it's interesting you would even think that" he lied

He did threaten Tom but played mind games with him instead 

Silence immediately filled the room as both Tom and Craven were locked in a staredown. It's clear that they don't like each other and will never get along, with Tom believing Craven is not the man he claims to be, and Craven growing tired of Tom's questions

The only difference between these men is that one has the power to not only destroy the other's career but also end their life, while the other has no evidence to back up his suspicions and make a report to the board 

" This is zero three to zero one. Over!" 

Craven kept his gaze on Tom while grabbing his walkie-talkie that is located beside his computer " This is zero one. What is it? Over"

" We have a situation down in the interview room, Governor. A new inmate who has just arrived has refused to a strip search or leave the room until she meets with you" 

Craven raised an eyebrow " Why does she want to meet with me?"

" She claims to be your daughter" Ms. Miles reported

Craven's eyes widen in shock. Did he actually hear Ms. Miles say his daughter is in Wentworth as a prisoner? Ridiculous! this had to have been a joke because there's no way she would be foolish enough to land herself in prison 

" You must be mistaken"

Craven then watches Tom standing up and leaving his office

"' She says her name is Scarlett" Ms. Miles replied 

Without a moment too soon, Craven immediately left his office and made his way down to the interview room, where Sarah is standing in front of the door to prevent Scarlett from possibly escaping the room 

Craven peaks through the window and sees his daughter Scarlett laying back on the chair with her feet up on the table without a care in the world, while Ms. Miles sat across the table 

He still couldn't believe what he is seeing in front of him. Out of all the prisons in Austrailia, Scarlett could have been placed in, it was Wentworth

Scarlett Craven is made up of slender build and is thirty years old. She has dark brown hair that went down to her shoulders and her attire consists of a black tank top, dark blue jeans and black boots 

" Open the door" Craven ordered his colleague as he kept his stare on Scarlett

Sarah nods as she stepped to one side and opens the door

Craven entered the room 

"Hi dad" Scarlett tilts her head towards her left and smiles at her father


	12. Father and Daughter

Scarlett grinned at her father's shocked expression " Well don't be too pleased to see your only daughter" slowly removing her legs from off the table " Even if it's only been five years" she said with a hint of resentment

Craven kept his gaze on Scarlett while addressing Ms. Miles " Give us a minute, please Ms. Miles"

As he stared at his daughter again for the first time in five years, Craven is overcome with mixed emotions about her presence. He's angry at the fact, Scarlett has embarrassed him by breaking the law and ending up as a prisoner, but he's also feeling a lot of guilt and remorse from what transpired in their last encounter

Considering the fact what happened and what was said wasn't very pleasant. Craven never believed he would ever see Scarlett again, but there she is, right in front of him and handcuffed

Ms. Miles stands up from her seat and quietly leaves the room to give Craven and Scarlett their privacy 

Craven slowly walked over to where Ms. Miles was originally seated and sits down. He takes a deep breath and rests his arms and hands on the table 

Scarlett smiles and shakes her head " Are you going to say anything or are you to sit there like a fucking statue"

" He hasn't changed one bit!" Scarlett thought to herself 

Craven stared blankly at his daughter " What are you in for?"

Scarlett wiggles around slightly in her chair to find a comfortable position and says nothing 

Craven pressed his daughter for information " What are you in for Scarlett? It's not to do with.....him is it?" he said as he couldn't bear to mention the name of Scarlett's boyfriend 

" That loser?" Scarlett frowned " Fuck off, I haven't seen him in quite some time" wanting to play games with her father

Like Craven, Scarlett has mixed emotions about seeing Craven again as well. One side she is happy to see her father again and hopes that can resolve their differences. On the other end, she's still hurt and angered about what Craven said in the past

She tried to forget about her feelings for her father, but deep down knew it was pointless since Scarlett loved Craven and misses him. Scarlett hopes that by being in Wentworth, they can put the past behind them 

Craven kept his gaze on Scarlett " Then what then?" wanting to know exactly what Scarlett has done to embarrass him 

Scarlett smiles and shakes her head " Nah! This way more fun"

Craven slammed his fist down on the table " Answer me, damn it" he said

He hated when Scarlett played mind games with him 

" Do you realize the embarrassment you will have caused me? I'm a fucking Governor who's managed to clean up Walford and now doing the same with Wentworth for Christ's sake. It doesn't exactly look good for a man in my position to have a criminal daughter"

Scarlett rolled her eyes " Oh please, the whole world doesn't exactly revolve around you, you know. No one is going to fucking care. So why should you?" she asked him 

She's not one bit surprised with Craven's vanity, she's heard it enough times throughout her childhood and conversations between Craven and her mother. If anything Scarlett finds it really sad that her father still cares what other people think of him 

Craven shakes his head and looks away " You wouldn't understand, you've never had responsibilities before. So how could you possibly know?"

" Yeah! Nice to see you too dad" Scarlett replied 

Craven turns his attention back on his daughter " Look! I'm saying this because things are different now. You're a prisoner under my care and if word about this gets out to the women in the general population, they may come after you to get to me for being strict on them"

Scarlett met Craven's gaze " Like I give a fuck. If these bitches want to take me on to get to you or just pick on me for the hell of it. Bring it on because I have no problem in sending them to the hospital" she said confidently 

She's no stranger when it comes to fighting, she's been around the block a few times and made quite name for herself in her line of work 

Craven smiled at Scarlett " That's my girl" he missed hearing Scarlett's cocky attitude 

He now starts to believe with Scarlett being in Wentworth as a prisoner, it was a sign. A sign to possibly start fresh. Since Scarlett could have easily ended up in Blackmoor or Barnhurst, but it was Wentworth instead 

Scarlett sighs " If you must know, I'm here for drug trafficking. Yeah!" rolling her eyes " My ex-put me onto it but he didn't have the intelligence to try and distribute it on a national basis. Plus it was easy money...good money. All Callum did was sell drugs to his mates"

Craven raised an eyebrow " Wouldn't have been better if you never hooked up with him or gotten into drugs in the first place?" he countered 

Scarlett smiled condescendingly " Let's not go there shall we! Since we both know who's responsible for that"

An awkward silence fills the room for several seconds

Craven gives Scarlett a remorseful look " There's not a day goes by that I don't think about our last conversation. The things I said..." he paused briefly " No father should ever have to say to their daughter, as I had done to you. It was disgusting. But I had every right to be angry though"

" If you felt guilty then why didn't you try to make peace or make contact? You knew where I lived" Scarlett replied 

Craven smiled at his daughter " You know what I'm like, love. How stubborn and prideful I can be" his smile fades " I should have tried harder...I accept that. If you're willing to forgive me and we can start over, I promise you, I will be a better father towards you. Seeing you for the first time in five years, made me realize how much I missed you"

" I know your mother would be pleased to hear us talking again" Craven added

Scarlett nodded " How is mum?"

Craven smiled again " She's good and truth be told" he looks down at his wristwatch and reads the time

The time read - 8:30 pm 

" Ahh shit" Craven cursed as he leaned back in his seat 

Scarlett raised an eyebrow " What's wrong?" she asked Craven curiously 

Craven looked back at Scarlett " I was supposed to be taking your mother out to eat at Roule Galette, thirty minutes ago" he sighed " Suppose there's no point now and my table has been given away to another couple"

" That sucks" Scarlett replied as she looked down at the table 

Craven shakes his head "Don't be! I and your mother can eat out another time. This right here...you and me.....this is more important" he stands up from his seat and walks around to his daughter 

" I'm willing to put the past behind us if you are. What do you say? Are you willing to forgive your old man?" Craven holds out his arms 

Scarlett smiled and nodded as she stood up and threw herself into Craven's embrace " Yes! I do forgive you and this is something I've wanted for a very long time" she happily said 

Craven wrapped his arms around Scarlett and slowly rubbed her back " You and me both kiddo" 

Scarlett looked up at her father and smiled at him " I love you daddy" laying her head back onto Craven's chest 

Craven kissed Scarlett's head " I love you to pumpkin" 

Their hug lasted for two more seconds before Scarlett broke away with a smile on her face 

Craven smiled at Scarlett " Now what to do with you?" he thinks for a moment " I'm going to put you in H5 with Joan Ferguson and her crew. They'll watch out for you if you get into any trouble

Scarlett smirked " Oh please! I don't need protection from anyone, dad. I can take care of myself in a place like this"

She knew who Ferguson was by reading the paper and watching the news, but she really didn't care about her reputation and certainly doesn't need the Freak to look out for her

Craven disagreed with Scarlett's comment of not needing protection " I know you can look after yourself but you need allies in a place like this. Especially if it's the person who's in charge of the general population. With her on your side, you can get away with fucking murder" he told Scarlett

Scarlett's smirk grew wider " Joan's the Top Dog is she?" nodding in approval "Cool"

" All you need to do is follow the rules and you'll be fine. Joan doesn't like it when someone tries to be a rebel" Craven informed

Scarlett shrugs her shoulders " I still don't see the reason why I should be in her crew or have her look out for me. I'm fine on my own and I can form my own crew if need be" she stated

Craven gives Scarlett a stern look " I'm serious, Scarlett. Don't fuck around with Joan and don't do anything to piss her off. Me and her have an alliance and you do not want to have her as an enemy. Promise me, you won't get into any trouble with her"

He knows how Ferguson operates when dealing with enemies and didn't want Scarlett to become a statistic or ruin his alliance with the Freak 

" Yeah alright, alright" Scarlett nodded her head " I promise to stay out of trouble, not piss Ferguson off and stay in between the lines while coloring in!" she said 

Craven nodded in satisfaction " Good because I would hate to see you in harm's way with her. Especially after the fact we have reunited and started over. Joan is an extraordinary being capable of not just killing you but making you so fucked in the head, you would have wished she had killed you"

Scarlett makes a tsk-tsk noise " If I didn't know any better dad, I'd say you have the hots for that old bat. Does mum know about this?" teasing Craven 

Craven smiles and shakes his head " No and No. What I and Joan have is strictly professional. We're more like allies than potential lovers. Plus mum doesn't need to know shit about what's going on in here. But she won't be pleased to see you in here either"

Scarlett shrugs her shoulders " Eh, she'll get over it" she replied 

Craven smiled " Got that right" he takes a deep breath " Well I think we've wasted enough time in here. Time for you to get settled in for the night and I'll see you in the morning"

Scarlett smiled back " I guess so"

Craven turns around and opens the door to see Ms. Miles standing across from him " Ms. Miles, once you're done with the strip search and filling out her profile, send Scarlett over to H5" 

He moves to the side making room for Scarlett to leave the room 

Ms. Miles nodded and then looked at Scarlett " Come on Craven, while we're young"

Scarlett smiled at her father " Night dad" she walks past Craven and follows Ms. Miles down the corridor 

Craven watches Scarlett leaving " Night love"


	13. Obsession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Creepy Craven and the introduction of his wife Lisa Craven

After reuniting with his estranged daughter and putting the past behind him, Craven now makes his way over to H5 and inform the Freak about the impending arrival of Scarlett. He hopes Scarlett won't cause trouble for Ferguson or the Freaks, knowing full well what happens to those that dare to piss off the Freak 

Craven didn't have to do this. He didn't have to go over to H5 and inform Ferguson personally on what's going to happen, he could have easily left and gone home to be with his wife. But because of the respect, Craven has for Ferguson, he felt he needed to do this

Two minutes later, Craven finds himself standing outside of H5, where the unit itself has been locked in for the night. He grabs swipe key and swipes it up and down, opens the barred gate and enters the unit

Craven closes the gate and turns towards the second door on his right which is where Ferguson's cell is

Once there he opens the door to find Ferguson sitting beside Vera on her bed both dressed in their pajamas 

Vera and Ferguson both looked at Craven 

Ferguson smirked at him " Well this is unexpected. A light night booty call I presume?"

Craven looked at Vera " Leave us" he ordered her

" Vera can stay" Ferguson insisted"

Vera shakes her head " No that's fine. I can leave" she stands up

She knew whatever Craven wanted from her girlfriend, Ferguson would tell her as soon as the Governor left

Ferguson grabs Vera's arm and gently pulls her back down to the bed " You and the others know about my little arrangement with him, so you have the right to stay and hear.." looking back at Craven " What the Governor has to say"

Craven shrugs his shoulders " Whatever, look. In about five minutes you'll have a new inmate staying with you. She's...." pausing for a moment " She's quite a character" he nodded in approval 

" She likes to cause trouble but I assure you, she won't be causing any trouble or undermine your authority"

Ferguson raised an eyebrow " Who is she? Obviously, it's someone you know quite well" wanting to know who this mysterious woman is

Craven sighs " She's my daughter, Scarlett Craven" he revealed

Vera's eyes widen in shock " You have a daughter?"

Craven nodded

Ferguson stared at Craven " The plot thickens. I suppose you want me to protect her?" assuming that is exactly what Craven wanted from her

It's bad enough Craven interrupted her time with Vera to inform them about Scarlett's arrival and hearing she's the Governor's daughter 

But the possibility of having to protect Scarlett and make sure she doesn't get into any trouble is unacceptable. There's no way Ferguson is going to allow this happen

" I'm not running a protection agency, Mr. Craven. You and I may be allies and we have similar ideologies when it comes to corrections, but I'm not going to have my girls watch this child twenty four seven or protect her. I'm already doing enough for you, as it is" 

Craven shakes his head " You won't have to watch or protect her. Scarlett promised me she won't do anything to upset you and doesn't want to be protected. However, should Scarlett choose to cross you, I won't do anything to stop you" he told Ferguson 

Vera scoffed at Craven's comment " Some father you are. You would allow Joan to do as she pleases to your daughter if Scarlett steps out of line? That is sick" 

She is disgusted with Craven's refusal to protect Scarlett should anything happen between her and Ferguson 

Craven tilted his head towards Vera " You think that is sick? You really don't know me then do you?" he looked back at Ferguson " Scarlett needs a firm hand sometimes but once she knows of your history and what you've done from the women, she won't do shit" he assured 

Ferguson still refuses to have Scarlett in her unit " Put her in a different unit. H1 with Connors would do nicely for your daughter"

Craven smiled at Ferguson " I'm not asking for your permission, Joan. I'm telling you. You seem to forget who calls the shots around here" reminding her who's really in control of Wentworth 

While their partnership is fifty-fifty, Craven still had the final say in what they do, since he is the Governor and Ferguson is a prisoner and only in control of the general population 

Ferguson frowned " You should be very careful with how you speak to me" she warned him 

She makes a mental note to check in with a contact who's been digging up Craven's history with Walford is damaging enough for Ferguson to use as blackmail and put herself at the very top of the hierarchy 

The nerve of this man

Craven raised an eyebrow "Are you threatening me, Joan? I don't what us to throw away what we have, but I will not be threatened by anyone. Especially from a prisoner" standing

Vera notices the tension between the two " Look I'm sure we work this out" she stands up and gets between Craven and Ferguson " Let's give Scarlett a trial run. She can stay here and we'll see how she goes, but if she does something wrong and gets punished. Scarlett can be transferred to a different unit"

Craven nodded in approval " I think that's fair enough. What do you think?" he turned his attention back to the Freak

He didn't like the fact he was being threatened by Ferguson, but he also didn't want to lose her an ally. Ferguson has been a great deal of help to Craven in keeping a tight hold over Wentworth and if he were to lose her, the whole system falls apart 

" I don't want to lose my best ally over where Scarlett stays. We are a great team and I would like for it to stay that way"

All eyes were now on Ferguson and waited for her decision as to whether or not Scarlett is allowed to stay in her unit 

Ferguson stared blankly at Craven " Very well, Ms. Craven can stay here. However, I want something in return"

She knew what she is about to say next will break tradition in the general population, but Ferguson didn't care. She is the Top Dog and she will make and change the rules as she sees fit 

Craven met Ferguson's gaze " Anything" 

Ferguson smirked " You don't even know what I'm about to say. It may jeopardize your position as the Governor" she warned him 

Craven pulled a face to show he wasn't concerned on what Ferguson is about to ask of him " Im not worried, Joan. I have people backing and protecting my position within this place. Besides none of my colleagues here have questioned my controversial decision to take away all special privileges from the prisoners. Scarlett will be getting the same treatment by the way"

He knows that with two of the board members in his pocket, Craven has nothing to worry about because any member of the board has more power than a regional manager of a prison. So whatever the Freak's request is. Craven will happily grant it for the sake of business 

Ferguson's smirk faded " Kim Chang is planning to bring contraband under the orders of Sonia Stevens, who's currently planning my demise. You can have Chang, but Stevens is mine"

Craven easily deduces on Ferguson's plan for Sonia " You're going to kill her. Aren't you?" he asked

Ferguson countered " What makes you think that? Death isn't the answer for everything" she lied just to play mind games with him 

Craven nodded in agreement " Alright then. You have Stevens but Chang is mine. Thank you Joan " he turns around and proceeded to leave Ferguson's cell but stops and tilts his head back to Ferguson " Please try and make Scarlett feel welcomed" 

He then leaves Ferguson's cell and H5 

Craven opens the barred gate, steps outside of H5, slides the barred gate shut and uses swipe key to lock it

After that, Craven makes his way outside to the carpark, pulls out his car keys for his black BMW E92 car and presses the unlock button. The Governor hops inside, closes the door, starts the ignition, drives out of the carpark and proceeds to head home for the night 

Craven had no objections in handing Sonia over to Ferguson since he was ready to move into phase two of his plans for Wentworth and take a more hands-on approach with the prisoners 

He's been waiting very patiently for one of these scumbags under his care to screw up, so he could send them to the slot and give them the punishment they deserve 

Fifteen minutes later, Craven arrives at his two-story home on Wellington street. The house is painted in a dark grey color, the master bedroom is on top of the built-in garage and there's a brick paver walkway leading to the front door

Craven parks his car outside the garage, hops out, closes the door and presses the locked button on his car key. He then proceeds to head inside through the front door 

" Honey I'm home" Craven announced as he closed the door behind him 

The stairs up to the next level are the first thing you can see when entering his home   
'  
No response

" Honey?"

Craven takes a one step forward and turns to his left with the living room and lounge is, he sees his wife Lisa Craven sitting on the couch who's fallen asleep while watching TV 

The living room had a dark brown couch, two recliners, a fifty two-inch screen tv and a bookshelf 

Lisa Craven is forty years old with long dark hair and dressed in her pajamas. She wears light red polka dot pants, a light pink shirt, and a dark grey nightgown. She's the kind of woman that sees the good in everyone, even if people think they can't be redeemed 

She also has blue eyes and her body size is made of slightly chubby build 

" Honey?" Craven slowly approached her 

Lisa slowly stirs from her sleep " Ernie! What happened to you tonight? I tried calling you earlier but you never answered" rubbing her eyes 

Craven sits down next to Lisa and pats her knee " I'm sorry love. Work was murder and I left my phone on silent. I knew you were looking forward to going out tonight, but something big came up"

" Something always comes up" Lisa replied as she grabbed the remote and switches the tv off " All I wanted was to spend an extra bit of time with my husband. Is that too much to ask" she said in disappointment 

Craven looked at Lisa " No! It's not too much to ask, but you knew what you were getting yourself into. Besides, I was on my way out until I heard Scarlett had been imprisoned for drug trafficking and sent to Wentworth" he replied 

Lisa widens her eyes in astonishment " Scarlett's been imprisoned? H...how is she? Is she ok?" her motherly instincts start kicking in 

Craven smiled warmly at Lisa as he wraps his arm around her shoulder " Scarlett is fine, love. She's ok and we're ok. Me and her have settled our differences and started over"

Lisa smiled back " Really? That's great" She then lets out a slight yawn " Think I might have an early night and go to bed" she stands up and looks at Craven " You coming?"

" I'll be up there in a little while" Craven replied with a smile 

Lisa leaned down to give Craven a quick kiss on the lips before heading stairs and going into their bedroom for the night 

With Lisa gone, Craven stands up and headed towards the kitchen. He takes out a bottle of whiskey from the bottom cabinet underneath and places it on the island in the middle of the kitchen

Craven then walks around and opens the top cabinet and takes out a small little glass. He pours the whiskey into his glass, closes the bottle lid of the whiskey bottle. Craven uses his left hand to hold onto his drink as he headed upstairs

Upstairs in the Craven household are three rooms and a walkway leading to these rooms. The first one is the master bedroom which is located on Craven's right side after climbing to the top of the stairs. In the middle of the walkway is the bathroom and at the very end is Craven's study room 

The Governor turned to his left and head straight for the study room. Originally the study was a small guest bedroom, but Craven turned it into his personal study room/ man cave, so he could escape the day to day pressures of his early life or blow off steam for a while 

Craven uses his right hand to rifle through a hidden pocket inside his dark blazer jacket and pulls out a key. He then places it into the keyhole of the doorknob and unlocks it. He always locked this room when he isn't home, in case if Lisa was busy cleaning the house or was tempted to take a small peek into his sanctuary

He opens the door, steps inside, closes the door and turns on the light. The room itself contained a window where Craven could gaze out of and watch his neighbors or anyone passing through his street

The room also contained a desk located at the back, it had an open laptop and piles of documents and articles neatly placed beside each other.

However, the crowning jewel in this room is the multiple photos and newspaper clippings of Joan Ferguson located above his desk. The newspaper clippings detailed Ferguson's time as the Governor of Wentworth, the murder of Bea Smith, Ferguson's trial, the escape and Ferguson handing herself into the police with Vera Bennett. The photos also included that along with Ferguson's time at Blackmoor and Queen's land Stone Park Prison 

Craven sits down in his comfy rotating chair, looks at his collection photos of Ferguson and raises his glass " Good night Freak"


	14. Bad Impression

Scarlett Craven awakens from her peaceful slumber and sits upright on her new bed. Despite the fact she has been charged with drug trafficking and sentenced to three years in Wentworth, she still slept like a baby without a care in the world 

She looks scans around her new home, the bricked walls, a toilet right in front of bed, a sink with a mirror above it, a table, an empty shelf up top where TVs would normally be placed until her father got rid of every single TV in the joint, and two bottom shelves where her pyjamas and spare teal clothes are stored 

Instead of being terrified of her wellbeing and what life as a prisoner will be like, Scarlett is actually excited about the opportunities it presents. She could easily make a bid and challenge Ferguson for the position to be Top Dog, even though Scarlett promised her father she wouldn't do anything to upset the Freak 

Scarlett could go down that road or she could start a drug trade and use her contacts to bring it or she could choose to neither be Top Dog or a drug trafficker and be one of those wild card prisoners, where you have no idea who she'll side with or be planning next 

She's already made up her mind that she won't become a sheep or allow anyone to walk over her. With three years inside this place, Scarlett wants to make a name for herself and cause the same amount of impact as Bea Smith, Franky Doyle and Joan Ferguson did before her

Scarlett smiled at the conversation with her father last night. She's so happy to have restarted her relationship with Craven and let him back into her life again. Considering the fact their last encounter five years ago left a bad taste in Scarlett's mouth for quite sometime

She never thought she would ever see Craven again, much less resolve their differences and begin anew. What Craven had said to Scarlett was so appalling, it would be enough for anyone's daughter to wash their hands of their father and never speak, feel or even think about them ever again 

But she did. Scarlett tried blocking out her thoughts and feelings for Craven, unfortunately for her, it didn't work and there were times in her life, that made Scarlett dabble in depression

Afterall there's nothing more important than a daughter who wants her father's love and acceptance. But that's all in the past now, thanks to their little reunion last night. No more fighting, no more regrets and no more thoughts about depression 

Scarlett lets out a slight yawn, as she hops out of bed and moves over to the small window beside her bed. As expected, the view had much to be desired, since all Scarlett could see is a wall on another part of the prison compound and the sunlight shining down from the heavens

" Charming" Scarlett said sarcastically as she walked over to her table. She sits down and takes out her basket of teal clothes and sets them on the table

Even though she promised to not get under Ferguson's skin, Scarlett believed a small bit of harmless banter and remarks on her part, should be more than satisfactory when dealing with the Freak

At this stage, Scarlett has no interest in gaining any positions for power within the general population. She will keep everyone on their toes including Ferguson, learn how the system works and decide from there

The Governor's daughter may want to make a name for herself and cause trouble, but she isn't stupid. She knows if she wants to make a lasting impression and not embarrass herself, Scarlett will have to learn the tricks of the trade among her fellow peers 

" So dull" Scarlett holds up her teal hoddie and shrugs " What are you going to do"

She stands up, lays the teal hoddie on her bed and goes back to her table. Scarlett grabs the white t-shirt and teal tank top and places it on top of the hoodie. After that, she places a teal sweatshirt beside the hoodie along with the teal pants and looks back and forth between the two teal attires 

" Hmmmm"

Scarlett plays eenie meanie miny mo between the two teal attires to decide which would be the best one for her to wear. Eventually her finger lands on the teal tank top, so now she has to decide between that shirt and the white shirt to go with her teal hoodie

She then places the white shirt on the right side of her hoodie, while placing the teal tank top on the left side

" Teal and teal it is" Scarlett decided as she chooses her teal tank top to go with her hoodie and quickly gets changed

Once done, Scarlett packs away her other teal clothes, places them back into the basket and places the basket back in the first bottom shelf

Scarlett opens her door wide open and steps into her unit. She immediately sees Franky Doyle by the sink making herself a drink with her back turned to Scarlett

" Franky Doyle! The woman. The myth. The legend" Scarlett grinned as she approached the veteran inmate " I didn't know you were in this unit"

Franky smiled at Scarlett's compliment " I see that my reputation proceeds me" she turns around to greet the newbie " How did you get in here? that gate has been locked all night" pointing to the barred gate at the entrance of H5

Scarlett leaned her back on the sink " I came in last night and was told I would be housed here by my father, the Governor"

She didn't care or even tried to hide who she is related too, not wanting any special treatment from Craven and thought it was pointless in keeping it a secret anyway 

Franky raised an eyebrow at Scarlett " You're Craven's daughter?" she remembered Craven mentioning to her he had a wife but not a daughter 

Scarlett nodded " Yep. I'm Scarlett" holding out her hand 

Franky shakes Scarlett's hand " Nice to meet you, but you've come in at a bad time"

She grabs the jug and pours the hot water into her cup

" Why is that? Is it because of Ferguson being in charge or something like that?" Scarlett easily assumed 

Franky nodded " Something like that. I suppose you've seen her on the news" grabbing her cup and heading over to the table

Scarlett stayed where she is and folded her arms " Yeah, but is it all true though? Ferguson seems more like an old battered cunt who's reached her breaking point after being cheated on than a homicidal maniac"

Even if everything she read in the newspaper and seen on TV about Ferguson was true, Scarlett still wasn't too concerned about it 

Franky chuckled humorously at Scarlett's comment on Ferguson " Don't let Ferguson catch you saying that or you'll be in the shit. Everything you've read, seen or even heard is all true" her humourous expression now adopted a more serious gaze 

" Ferguson is someone you do not want as an enemy. She's killed a few of my friends, sent one to the psych unit and even framed me for murder"

Franky grabs her cup " And as crazy as this sounds. Trust me, I know it is crazy, but you'd have to be in my shoes to actually understand where I'm coming from" she looked up at Scarlett "I've joined her crew. Im tired of being on the other end of Ferguson's twisted plans and I'm also doing this to protect my family on the outside" she added

Scarlett's eyes blinked in astonishment " Shit! Ferguson's really done a number on you hasn't she" pausing for a brief moment " You have my sympathy and you'll get no judgment or hate on my end. I take it, Ferguson has contacts on the outside that have threatened you in the past?"

Franky nodded " Yep. She has more than Nils Jasper doing her bidding that's for sure" she replied before sipping on her drink 

She decided to change the topic " So what are you in for?"

Scarlett looked at Franky " Drug trafficking. Believe it or not, I was trying to be like Heisenberg from Breaking Bad" she joked

Franky stared at Scarlett blankly of not knowing who Heisenberg was or Breaking Bad is a TV show " Come again?"

Scarlett met Franky's gaze " It's a TV show where this chemistry teacher turns into a drug lord. It's pretty badass" when she sees Franky still failing to understand her joke, she shakes her head " Forget it. Terrible joke, I know" she said 

" Morning everyone"

Scarlett and Franky looked at Rebecca who had just stepped out of her cell and is still dressed in her pajamas

Rebecca smiled before turning to Scarlett " Who the hell are you?"

Franky looked at Rebecca " Becky this Scarlett. The Governor's daughter. She came in late last night apparently" informing the little vixen

" Cool" Rebecca nodded as she headed over to the sink to make herself a drink

Scarlett watches Rebecca making herself a drink and grins " You're a bit of a shorty aren't you" noticing a gap in their body heights

Rebecca stood at 5 FT 2, while Scarlett stood at 5 FT 12

" Short but with a lot of attitude!" Rebecca said proudly

Scarlett nodded as she catches a glimpse of Rebecca's tight butt " Nice ass" she complimented 

While she is usually into men, Scarlett couldn't help but like what she was seeing from Rebecca's backside. Scarlett thought it was hot and cute 

" If I were gay I'd have you in my bed, just like that" snapping her finger as a gesture 

Rebecca turned to Scarlett " Thanks but I'm already seeing someone"

Scarlett decides to tease Rebecca just to have a little fun with her" Come on! We know men fuck each other in prison. Why not you and me? I'd bet you'd be a great fuck and like things to be kinky"

" Again! No" Rebecca pulls a face to show that she isn't interested in Scarlett's advances " Why not Franky?" turning to her right where Franky was sitting at the table " I bet she could use a good fuck!" she said 

Franky shakes her head " Fuck off!! Not going with anyone after Gidget died"

" Isn't that a pity!" Rebecca said as she faced Scarlett again " Oh well better luck next time" she moves past Scarlett to get to the kitchen 

As Rebecca moved past her, Scarlett quickly seizes the opportunity to slap Rebecca's ass " A girl can dream can't she?"

" HEY!"

All eyes turned down to the first cell on the right in H5 where Raven Logan is who is dressed in her teal attire had witnessed Scarlett slapping her girlfriend on the ass

" What the hell are you doing?" Raven stormed her way over to Scarlett and gets right in her face

Scarlett sniggered at an enraged Raven " I'm just playing around, babe. You don't have to worry about me going after Rebecca. Even though she does have a nice butt. I'm not gay and I never usually compliment a girl's butt"

It's only her first day in Wentworth and already she's pushing her roommates' buttons and Scarlett is enjoying every minute of it. During the commotion, no one notices Ferguson and Vera watching from outside of Ferguson's cell. Both of them dressed in their teal attires 

Raven glared at this little troublemaker " Come near my girlfriend again and I'll break you two" clearly being protective over Rebecca 

Scarlett knew now would be the best time to back down because she's had her fun but decides to push on a little further " She's not really your girlfriend, is she? More like a prison wife. Don't be too upset now. I could be your second prison wife....it would be like one of those polygamist relationships"

At that moment, Raven lets her anger get the best of her as she violently grabs Scarlett by the collar of her teal shirt. Expecting Scarlett to back down and becoming fearful, instead, Scarlett lets out a roar of laughter as she holds her hands in the air 

As Ferguson observed the interaction between Scarlett and Raven, it's clear to her that Scarlett is a troublemaker and may cause more tensions in her crew, if left unchecked 

" I'll fucking knock your block off cunt" Raven hissed

Scarlett smiles and laughs 

" Knock it off you two"

Rebecca, Raven, Scarlett, Vera, Franky and Ferguson all tilt their heads to see Ms. Miles standing on the other side of the barred gate and using her swipe key to unlock it 

Raven let's go of Scarlett who's still amused by the whole incident

" Stand outside your cells for the headcount" Ms. Miles ordered

Scarlett watches Raven walking back over to her cell " I'm never discussing football with you again" she now catches Ferguson starting at her " Hey Joan, I tell you. That woman can start a fight in an empty room"

She returned to her cell and stands in the doorway with Ferguson keeping a cold stare on the troublemaker


	15. Caught Red Handed

Rita Connors walked down the corridors leading to medical to see whether or not Nicole is ready to be moved back into general. It had only been one week since Nicole was attacked by Raven in the shower on the belief she had been disrespectful to the fiery-tempered enforcer

As she headed over to medical, Rita thoughts drift to her conversation with Sonia Stevens and the offer she had presented to Rita, if she were to help Sonia in her plans to take Ferguson down

" Which is where you come in, I can't take Joan out myself and neither can these wonderful ladies standing around me. They are strong and don't get me wrong. I love you all and your loyalty to me is much appreciated, but we know Ferguson will make mincemeat out of all of you. In return for you helping me, I'll help you get revenge on Logan and anyone else that has a problem with you. This way, I get what I want and you get what you want" Rita recited 

Rita would be lying if she wasn't tempted to help Sonia, just to get a little payback on Raven for hurting Nicole. However, she knows can easily take Raven down in her own time, plus sticking to her motto of not getting involved in prison conflicts

If it didn't involve her personally, then there's no reason for Rita to stick her beak in where it didn't belong. Except for Raven, of course, Rita will make an exception for Ferguson's enforcer and ensure it doesn't affect her sentence 

The way Raven acted towards Rita and how she self righteously believed what she did to Nicole is justified is beyond despicable. Rita hated those kinds of people where they believe they are right and everyone else is wrong 

Plus the blonde bitch is asking for a beating in Rita's opinion. As for Sonia's offer, should Sonia approach her, Rita will decline. Not just because of not wanting to get involved in the manipulative socialite's feud with the Freak, it's also to do with the fact how sneaky and devious Sonia was for organizing Ferguson's lynching 

The way Sonia recited the even towards Rita, the joy in her voice as she described Ferguson's predicament as she was strung up like a pinata and being close to death's door. Plus let's not forget the smile that grew on Sonia's face when describing it 

That alone was all Rita needed to know about this woman and the fact she couldn't be trusted

Rita recites the last thing Sonia had said to her 

"When you've made a decision about my offer, let me know and just between us, I hope you choose wisely"

Is that a threat? Did Sonia threatened Rita with violence and death should she decline Sonia's offer for an alliance?

Just when Rita thought she had enough problems with Raven and Ferguson. Now she's got to consider the possibility of being an enemy in Sonia's eyes. Regardless of the outcome, Rita will keep an eye out for any reprisals on the devious socialite's part 

Three minutes later, Rita now finds herself outside of medical where she sees Nurse Radcliff talking with Nicole who's still on the bed

" What do you think doc? Is she ready to come home?" Rita asked as she stepped into the room 

Nicole sees Rita and smiles " Yep! The Governor came in five minutes ago and allowed me to go back into general" her left eye which became blackened has now returned to normal 

Rita smiled back " Good. I can fill you in on, what you've missed on our way back to H1"

Nicole swings her body to the side and hops off the bed " I would have been released earlier but apparently I had a concussion during the attack as well" she explained as she followed Rita out of medical 

She is glad to see her friend again. Being cooped up in medical more than two days and not being able to do anything was driving Nicole insane. She hated being isolated longer than she preferred

Rita smiled " And here I thought you hated me and made excuses to stay with Radcliff" she chuckles

Nicole shakes her head " Are you kidding? I was bored out of my mind in there. I tried getting her to release me, but she wouldn't allow it" 

Rita's expression changed from being humorous to being filled with regret " I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you in the shower block. I promised I would look out for you and look what happened? You got attacked by that smart mouthed bitch" she said in contempt

She hated breaking a promise to someone she cared about, even if it was a situation she couldn't control. Rita's word is her bond and when that breaks, she becomes angry with herself and won't be satisfied, until she makes it up to the person she promised 

The duo turned down the next corridor 

Nicole tilts her head to her right where Rita is " It's not your fault. How could you possibly have known what Raven was going to do to me? I certainly wasn't expecting it. She just did it because she's in Ferguson's crew"

" That and the need to be respected by her peers is pathetic. I'm not little Ms. Perfect myself but I know that if you want respect, you have to treat others how you want to be treated" Nicole added 

Nicole looks back in front " But just for the sake of it and knowing who's in charge. If I see her, I'll humor her by giving respect"

Rita scoffs " Fuck that Nikki. Raven doesn't deserve respect or anyone in Ferguson's crew if they think they can push us around and act if all of them are Top Dog" she replied

She tilts her head towards her friend " Only Ferguson is in charge and yet, she didn't lift a finger to punish Raven. Ferguson played it off as you asked to be bashed and told Raven to call you by your proper name"

Nicole stopped walking and turned to Rita which made her stop walking as well " Wait? You went to Ferguson and you stood up for me?" she asked to make sure she wasn't hearing things 

Rita nodded as she faced her friend " Yeah you're my friend and friends stick up for each other. I wasn't going to sit back and do nothing. Fat lot of good it did me though" she said disappointedly

" It's as if Ferguson doesn't care about our welfare but only her's and her mates"

Nicole smiled at Rita " Thank you for trying though. I appreciate it" she said 

It's the first time in a long time since anyone has stuck up for Nicole when she was in trouble. Even in her school years being bullied, no one had her back which caused her to move schools on three different occasions until she was free from the bullies that tormented her 

Rita smiled back " Don't mention it"

Nicole shakes her head " No really. Thank you. I always had difficulty making new friends. My last friend moved to a different country and I never heard from her again, despite the fact she promised she would make contact" shrugs her shoulders " I don't know I guess after her, I always blamed myself and thought I'm not worthy of being anyone's friend" she confessed

" Hey!" Rita places a hand on Nicole's shoulder " You're a terrific person, Nikki. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. There's nothing wrong you and you are worthy. The friend that left you?" shakes her head " She wasn't a true friend if she didn't keep her promise or make the effort to try and contact you"

Nicole says nothing in return except for smiling brightly at her friend, who she now views as an older sister

Rita smiled back " You won't have to worry about me leaving. In here and when we escape from this place, we will still be friends"

Nicole nodded " I'd like that!" she said happily 

Rita wraps an arm around Nicole's shoulder and drags her down the corridors while on their way back to H5 " You want to hear the next juicy detail you've missed and trust me it's a good one, concerning Ferguson"

" Yes please" Nicole replied

They turn down the next corridor that led them straight over to H1 

Rita explained " Well after my little showdown with Raven and Ferguson in laundry. An inmate named Sonia Stevens approached me in the prison gym yard offering an alliance to take down Ferguson. Sonia harbors such a grudge, she almost had Ferguson killed in the past for orchestrating a lynching. Ferguson survived obviously, but Sonia still wants her dead and she's planning something big"

Nicole's eyes widen in astonishment " Woah talk about bad blood. What happened that made Sonia want to kill Ferguson in the first place?" she asked clearly intrigued by this revelation 

She had no idea how hectic things could get when you'be been removed from the general population in just a short amount of time 

Rita looked at Nicole " Long story short. Sonia is tired of being stepped on and playing second fiddle. She wants to be in charge. Probably a control freak or something like that" she said 

Nicole met Rita's gaze " Are you going to accept it? Sonia's alliance?"

Rita shakes her head " Nope! I'm not getting involved in their battle for control. Besides, I don't trust Sonia at all. If she can do that to Ferguson and not get caught. What else is Sonia capable off" she replied 

She wasn't surprised at Sonia for wanting Ferguson dead. After hearing the stories of what Ferguson has done during her time as Governor and prisoner in Wentworth, the Freak will never be short on enemies 

Nicole nodded in agreement " That is true" she snaps her fingers at the memory of hearing some interesting news in regards to Craven she overheard last night " That reminds me, last night in medical I saw a new inmate being escorted down the corridor with Ms. Miles claiming she was Craven's daughter" she informed

Rita raised an eyebrow as she tilts her head towards Nicole " Seriously?"

Nicole nodded " Yep and she wasn't afraid to shout it to the rooftops either" she added

" Well, that isn't going to look too good on her or Craven for that matter. Must be embarrassing for a Governor to have his own child locked away in a prison he's running. Things should get interesting" Rita said hopefully 

 

Elsewhere, Kim Chang and a few other inmates were busy preparing lunch and today is the day where one of her contacts has smuggled in the items Kim had requested on Sonia's behalf in fresh produce that is currently on it's way to Wentworth in a truck 

Even though she agreed to Sonia's deal and wanting Ferguson dead as much as anyone else, Kim still couldn't help but feel fearful of what might happen if Sonia's plan fails or Kim was caught by Ferguson's crew. It would mean instant death for the fallen inmate who used to be in a relationship with Franky Doyle before being rejected which caused her to become a drug addict

With everything that has happened and the people that have fallen at Ferguson's feet. How can Kim not be fearful of the potential possibilities should the plan fail. Ferguson has proven time and time again that no matter how hard you try, she'll always outsmart you

And yet, the way Sonia oozed with confidence on how her plan will work and Ferguson having no clue of the fate that awaits her, made Kim believe in Sonia. Especially when Sonia revealed it was her who organized Ferguson's lynching, Kim still was still surprised at the level of deception and intelligence Sonia produced 

Perhaps Sonia's plan will work and everything will be ok. That is the hope Kim has at this point. Unfortunately for her and Sonia, Ferguson knows about their plan thanks to Raven and Rebecca and has informed Craven on the situation as well who is currently waiting in the shadows ready to strike 

" Chang!" 

No response

" Chang!!"

Kim snaps out of her thoughts when she hears Tom calling her name " Huh?"

Tom looked at Kim " Go help Slater and Williams with the delivery. Come on" nudging his head back 

He then nodded at another male officer standing next to him, to cover his back while Tom escorted Kim out the back of the kitchen where the deliveries are normally made 

" Oh...right" Kim follows Tom 

Once out back, Kim hops into the back of the truck and stared at the crates filled with fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables. She looks back and forth to remember which one exactly where her contact had said he'll place the syringe and the hotshot drug in 

Kim remembers it's the third crate with the whole raw chicken with items stuffed inside of it. She grabs the crate, hops down from the truck and makes her way back inside the kitchen 

She then makes her way into the freezer room with the crate and sets it on the bench. By the time Kim stuffs her hand inside the chicken to grab both the syringe and the hotshot drug, Craven was already standing in the doorway with Tom 

"Step away from the chicken, Ms. Chang" 

Kim cursed " Shit" she takes her hand still holding the syringe and hotshot drug out of the chicken

Craven briefly looks down at the items in Kim's hand before smiling at her " Yes! You're in deep shit. Escort her to the slot, Mr. Shepherd" holding out his hand 

Tom nodded " Yes, Governor. Alright you" waving the back of his hand for Kim to approach him 

Kim approaches Tom and handed the items over to Craven " How the fuck did you know about this?" she asked him 

Craven firmly grasps the syringe and the hotshot in his hand " That is for me to know and for you to find out"

He then watches Kim being escorted by Tom out of the kitchen with a sinister grin on his face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a reason why I created the storyline and the idea of Sonia being behind Ferguson's lynching. Back in episode 11 of season 5 where Ferguson was trying to break the rope on her neck before being lifted up, Sonia smiled. Which to me gave me every reason to believe Sonia was behind it


	16. Checkmate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're probably wondering when I will start the rivalry between Joan and Rita. Let me put your minds at ease because we are on the verge of it. This chapter alone doesn't just wrap up Joan vs. Sonia, it marks a turning point for Rita and her thoughts on Joan

Sonia Stevens sat around the table with her crew eating lunch in the dining room. While her peers were talking among themselves, Sonia never took part in any of their conversations, she would smile, nod and agree with whatever her girls were saying or her name is mentioned 

Her mind is preoccupied with Kim's absence in the dining room. Sonia didn't see Kim as she went to fill her tray nor did she see Kim when she sat down at her usual table nearest to the dining room exit 

Sonia knew today was the day where she would be getting her hands on the syringe and the items into making a hot shot drug. The perfect weapon to crush an enemy and never get caught with it. This would be her secret weapon into ridding herself of the Freak and usurping Ferguson's position once and for all 

And yet Kim hasn't been seen. Why? Why didn't Sonia see Kim just now? Did Kim get the items and placed it into Sonia's cell? Is that why Kim isn't present in the room?

Or did Kim foolishly allow herself to get caught and be sent to the slot?

Sonia easily dismisses that last thought from her mind knowing how ridiculous it is just thinking about it. No one knows about her plans to take down Ferguson and no one knows of the alliance she has with Kim 

So it would be impossible for Ferguson to know exactly what the devious socialite is planning, but it still doesn't explain Kim's absence in the room. Something is going on and whatever it is, Sonia doesn't have a good feeling about it. She needs to know exactly what is going on before putting her mind at ease 

" She better be waiting for me in H3 or at least placed them in my cell!" Sonia thought to herself as she smiled at her girls and nodded with what they had to say 

This plan of her's has to work and there can be no room for mistakes. If Ferguson ever found out it was Sonia who organized her lynching and is currently planning to inject the Freak with the hotshot drug, Ferguson would mark Sonia as a dead woman 

Jade notices Sonia's tense expression at the front of the room " What's wrong Sonia?"

The other women in Sonia's crew stopped talking and look to their leader 

No response from Sonia 

"Sonia?" Jade asked again 

Sonia nodded as her eyes glance to Ms. Miles on her right who stood beside the door " Excuse me for one second" she said

She gets up from her seat and approaches the shady screw "Ms. Miles"

Ms. Miles tilts her head to Sonia " What is it Stevens?" she asked before turning her attention back on to the remaining inmates in the room 

Sonia knew it was ridiculous asking whether or not Kim had been caught, but she had to know for certain in order to put her mind at ease

"Do you know what happened to Kim? I haven't seen her in the kitchen today. Everything alright with her?" 

Ms. Miles turned her attention back to Sonia " I didn't know you two were mates" raising an eyebrow 

Sonia shakes her head " We are not friends per se, more like business partners. She's supposed to be doing a very important job for me" correcting Ms. Miles 

She hopes Ms. Miles will be telling her Kim wasn't rostered on for lunch today, so Sonia's plans for Ferguson can still go ahead without any interruptions 

Ms. Miles smiled at Sonia " Bad luck I'm afraid, Stevens. Chang was caught an hour ago smuggling contraband in a chicken during prep"

Sonia's eyes widen in astonishment" Come again" she said in disbelief

She had a feeling this might have been the case but was hoping to be proven wrong. Her greatest fear has come true

But how? How could Kim be so stupid in letting herself get caught?

Ms. Miles nodded " Yeah! Kim literally had a syringe and the items to make the hotshot in her hands. Someone has been talking to the Governor" she informed 

"Whatever you had planned is now out the window"

Sonia turned back to her crew who were already watching her conversation with Ms. Miles with great interest " Come on girls, we are leaving" she announced 

"Actually they can stay along with D Block to help clean and clear the tables" Ms. Miles replied

Jade stands up and walks over to Sonia " Everything ok?" she asked worryingly

She knows there's something off about Sonia and wanted to know out of respect and care, Jade has for this woman 

Sonia smiles and shakes her head " Yes, everything is fine. I'll see you all in H3 when your done" she lied

Jade isn't convinced " Are you sure? Because you've been acting strangely ever since we sat down for lunch"

Sonia nodded again " I'm fine, child. Really. I'm ok" she then turns around and leaves the dining room

Her mind begins racing with thoughts on who told Craven about her alliance with Kim and how could they possibly know about it to begin with. It didn't make sense to Sonia

Ferguson has no clue what's going on or does she?

Does Ferguson know about the alliance and the plan?

But that's impossible! How could the Freak know what Sonia has been planning? She hasn't found out it was Sonia who organized the lynching, so Ferguson can't possibly know on what was going to take place

Did Kim screw up by telling someone in confidence that she shouldn't of? It was possible this could have been the case. But even then it didn't make sense. Why would any prisoner want to risk their lives by breaking their golden rule of not lagging to the Governor or to the screws

Sonia wasn't liking this one bit because it was leading to more questions than answers. Her secret weapon has been exposed and now she'll have to go back to the drawing board and keep her crew around her at all times

Once she arrived into H3, Sonia quickly made her way over to her cell and was about to open the door, until she heard a familiar voice call to her

"Sonia!"

The devious socialite turns around and sees Rebecca Widmore who was waiting in the wings for Sonia to arrive into H3

Rebecca smiled at Sonia " How are ya?"

Sonia stared at the little vixen " What do you want?" ignoring Rebecca's question by asking one of her own 

Rebecca slowly approaches Sonia " I want to join your crew. I've had enough of being in Ferguson's shadows and I reckon you would make a great Top Dog. I know all of Joan's secrets and places where she will be alone"

" Why the sudden change? You always claimed Ferguson was a great woman and the best Top Dog in history " Sonia asked very suspiciously 

Sonia's gut instincts were telling her that this was a trap and Rebecca is only using Sonia to be a potential spy for Ferguson 

" Well, I lied" Rebecca replied as she stood in front of Sonia " I realize I'm nothing more than a mere pawn to her. Joan doesn't care about me or the others in her crew. I also feel like I'm being held back. You know? Doing her dirty work and being a lackey. If I wanted too I could easily make a bid to be Top Dog, but I didn't and you know why? Joan is Top Dog and taking her down alone is impossible. So by befriending her and getting her to trust me with her secrets, I can easily inform you in your plans to be Top Dog. Since we both know, you still want that position. You've been biding your time and thinking of all sorts of plans, I can imagine but none of them ever working. Well today is your chance Sonia, take the risk"

Sonia stared quizzically at Rebecca " You're willing to risk your own life to help me?" now standing in front of the little vixen " Why? How do I know this isn't a trick"

She still wasn't convinced with Rebecca's offer of an alliance and request to join her crew 

" You don't. You just have to trust me on this" Rebecca replied

Sonia smiled and lets out an amusing chuckle " Nice try, Widmore. I know what Joan is planning here. She sent you to say those things, knowing I will need everything I can possibly get at taking her down, have you gain my trust and join my crew" shaking her head

" I know Vera did the same with Novak and Proctor over at H1 and it turned out she was a spy herself. You nearly had me going there for a second, are you sure you weren't an actress before coming here? If not, you should consider being one" Sonia added 

What Sonia didn't know is that behind her, the door to her cell slowly opened with Ferguson standing behind her enemy with a makeshift noose made out of a bed sheet from the last empty cell in H5

Rebecca sighed " Well I guess there's only one left thing to say " she grins at Ferguson " Checkmate" 

Before Sonia had a chance to respond or defend herself, Ferguson places the noose around Sonia's neck and keeps a tight grip on her enemy. The devious socialite tilts her head slightly to her back and sees Ferguson 

Ferguson smirked at Sonia " Surprise" she yanks the noose " Logan, now!"

Raven grabs hold of the rope, pulls Sonia closer to the door and throws the rope over the door, so when she goes to shut it while keeping a tight grip, it'll be enough to hang Sonia until she suffocated to death

Franky and Vera stand at the entrance of H3 and keep watch for any screws nearby or Sonia's crew for that matter 

Sonia tried desperately to break free from her bonds but to no avail 

Ferguson stared coldly at Sonia " I know it was you. I know you tried to have me lynched, the day before my escape. I also know you conspired with Chang to smuggle in a syringe and give me a hot shot" her eyes blinked " What? Didn't you think I was going to find out eventually? I wouldn't have if, it weren't for Logan and Widmore's loyalty towards me. They saw you talking with Chang in the yard"

Sonia could feel her heart pounding rapidly as she became overwhelmed with fear " Joan, please. I won't come after you again. I promise" pleading for the Freak to spare her life 

She couldn't believe what was happening. She had been outsmarted and outplayed and now she was going to pay with her life

" Nice try" Rebecca mocked Sonia " We both know you'll try again " 

Ferguson kept her gaze on Sonia " It's the end of the road for you. Now you'll know how I felt on that day, as I was close to death's door, the oxygen rapidly leaving my body as my windpipe was being crushed by a rope. The thought of not being able to come back was truly the worst feeling for me. The only difference is, no one will be around to save you"

She turns her attention to Raven who is waiting in Sonia's cell while keeping a tight grip on the noose and nodded 

Raven uses her foot to slam the door shut and then uses her strength to pull back on the noose which made Sonia rise from off the ground

Sonia gags as she could feel her windpipe being crushed along with her legs wiggling around violently in the air

As all eyes were now fixed on Sonia's slow demise, Ferguson and her crew didn't notice Rita Connors watching this disturbing scene from outside H5. The only person who did see her was Sonia but unfortunately, she wasn't able to say anything or scream for help 

Only thing Sonia can do is give a look at Rita which will give her a hint to stop Ferguson before she actually does die 

Rita sees Ferguson smiling sadistically at Sonia's suffering and it made her sick to her stomach. Just to see a woman enjoying another one's demise, is beyond disturbing and to think that the Freak is Top Dog 

A Top Dog who doesn't care about the welfare of the other prisoners or standing up to Craven and his harsh rules. The only think Ferguson cared about in Rita's mind is herself, terrorizing the women and enjoying their suffering 

Rita now starts to have second thoughts about not getting involved and standing up to Ferguson. But instead of going in to help Sonia, who Rita didn't like or trusted as well, she walks away from H5 and leaves Sonia to die

Sonia's eyes became bloodshot red with her skin becoming pale as the noose around her neck digs in deeper into her jugular and windpipe. Her legs slowly swang from side to side, no longer violently wiggled around 

As for Ferguson, she enjoyed every second of seeing Sonia gaging and getting closer and closer to her demise. She believed it was justice for what the devious socialite had tried to do to her months ago

Just when it looked like it was never going to end, Sonia finally dies with a broken neck and a crushed windpipe

Ferguson smiled at Sonia's lifeless body " She's dead, Logan" 

Raven releases her grip on Sonia from inside the cell, which made Sonia crash to the ground with her landing on her butt and head lowered so it looked like she was staring at her legs 

She opened the door which made Sonia slump to one side on her body " Good riddance" 

Ferguson looked at Raven " Position Steven's body as it was, so her crew can have a nice present to look forward to when they return" she smirks 

She planned Sonia's death with Craven earlier in the day, making sure Sonia's crew wouldn't have interfered and the cameras were adjusted so it wouldn't capture Sonia's death on video 

Raven nods as she positioned Sonia's body slumped against the door with the noose still around her neck and head lowered 

Ferguson takes one last look at Sonia before leaving H3 with her crew


	17. Brutality

Kim Chang sat on a bed inside of the one cells in the slot with her back pressed against the wall. She should be getting some sleep because judging by the view in her window, it was dark and possibly its the middle of the night

But she couldn't sleep with her thoughts racing on who was responsible for telling Craven about the drugs Kim was smuggling in for Sonia, their motivations and the alarm that went off a few minutes during the afternoon 

She wondered if Sonia had made a move on Ferguson without the use of injecting the Freak with a hotshot or if Ferguson found out about their plan and killed Sonia for it. Hell! It might not have been either of these and could have been someone else

Whatever it was and along with whoever dobbed Kim in, it was keeping her awake at tonight and it pissed her off. Usually, when being sent to the slot, Kim had no trouble sleeping or not caring about the consequences of what will happen when she is eventually released

However, in this case, it is very different. This wasn't your usual case of smuggling in drugs to start the drug trade or pissing off the Top Dog. This is about taking down the most hated woman on Earth and sending her to Hell for good

Ferguson always had a knack of coming back from impossible situations and exacting brutal vengeance onto those who she feels are responsible and that deserve it. Plus Kim agreed with Sonia's plan about giving Ferguson a hotshot to subdue her, it was the only way to truly knock the Freak off her feet and deliver the final blow 

Kim hopes the alarm had nothing to do with Sonia because if it did and Ferguson knew what the two were planning, she would be the next on Ferguson's hitlist when released from the slot

She hopes it was two other inmates who were in a fight or one shiving the other

Kim hears a "click" noise which made her stare at the door as it's being opened

Craven stands in the doorway with a big smile on his face " You're awake. That's wonderful"

" What the fuck do you want?" Kim frowned at the Governor 

Craven steps inside the cell " I'm going to give you one chance, Chang. Once chance to be honest about why you were planning to undermine my authority by bringing in contraband or who you are working for" he moves closer to Kim's bed 

" Judging by the syringe and the hotshot. Either you or someone your working for wants another person dead. Could that be Ferguson? We all know she has plenty of enemies in this joint"

He has waited very patiently for his moment to carry out his own brand of justice on an inmate who was foolish enough to get herself caught and sent to the slot. Now that moment has come and God help Kim for what's in store for her 

However, in his own twisted mind, Craven believes in giving his victims a chance to save themselves from what he's about to do them. Even though he's fully aware any prisoner will refuse to co-operate with him

Kim shrugs her shoulders " I don't know what you're talking about. I was in the process of taking out the giblets and bones. How was I suppose to know there would be a syringe and the items to make a hotshot" pretending to play dumb 

Craven takes a deep breath " I would think very carefully, If I were you, Chang. You could be in here for a very long time. You may never return to the general population again. Now I ask you, why did you do it or who are you working for" he asked again 

Even though he already knows Kim had an alliance with Sonia to take down Ferguson, it gives Craven great pleasure to force his victims to admit to their crimes

Kim frowned at Craven " Nothing is going on. I was set up. Besides what could you possibly do, if I were lying?" calling his bluff

She wasn't at all concerned with Craven's attempts to intimidate or do something that to her that would cost him his job 

Craven kept his gaze on Kim " Is that your final answer?"

Kim nodded in response

Craven sighed " Get up, then"

" What? You're releasing me back into general? Just like that?" Kim raised an eyebrow in confusion 

If she was being released back into general, then Craven is nothing more than a pushover and a very weak Governor, who could easily be manipulated

Craven laughed at Kim" No no no. I'm not releasing you back into general. What are you crazy? You know how bad that would look?" shaking his head " No! I'm taking you to a very special place"

" What special place?" Kim asked curiously 

Craven smiled " You'll have to wait and see, my dear"

Knowing it was futile to resist the Governor's request and also curious to see where he will be taking her, Kim hops off the bed and stands in front of him 

Craven nodded in satisfaction " Good girl" he grabs her arm and escorts her out of the cell 

He then closes the door, escorts Kim out of the slot and down a series of corridors leading them to Wentworth's basement, where he will be taking every single one of his victims in to 

Like what happened to Sonia earlier in the day, where her death was ultimately ruled as a suicide, where the cameras had been adjusted. Despite the objections in Sonia's crew along with the other prisoners, Craven has adjusted every single camera in every corridor he has escorted Kim in, so there will be no evidence linking back to him for his crimes

Craven could feel his dark side calling to him, telling him that Kim deserves to be punished for breaking the law and thinking she has rights as anyone else does when being locked up inside a prisoner 

" Correct her!" the voice said " Correct this disgusting vermin. Make her confess" 

Three minutes later, Craven and Kim find themselves standing in front of a door with a sign reading - Authorized Personnel Only

" Where the fuck are you taking me?" Kim turned to Craven 

Craven ignored Kim by taking out a key and placing it into the keyhole of the doorknob. He then opens the door revealing the room to be dark, empty and moonlights reflecting off two windows

The room also had a small table with a neatly folded towel, a folding chair, and antiseptic cream

" Get in"

Kim shot a look at Craven " I'm not going in there" she said 

Craven gave Kim a stern look " Now!" he grabs her arm and shoves her inside

Kim barely catches her balance after being shoved in by Craven, she soon feels her body shivering due to how cold and damp the basement is. Unknown to her though, this is the exact same room where Ferguson had taken Jodi Spiteri during her time as the Governor 

" You don't have to be so rough you know" she retorts 

Craven enters the room, closes the door behind him and locks it. He then places the keys back into his hidden pocket inside his dark blazer jacket

Kim scans around the empty room, trying to get a feel as to why Craven has brought her in the first place. She then turns around after catching the evil and twisted Governor staring at her 

" What? What are going to make me do? Suck your cock? Is that it?"

No response from Craven, just a blank stare

Kim smiles and shakes her head " Get the fuck out of here. I ain't sucking your cock and I sure as hell didn't do shit either. As much as I enjoyed the field trip, take me back, right now" she demanded

Craven hears the voice calling to him again " Make her pay for her insolence. Make her demand your respect and fear"

He bawls his hand into a tight fist

" Well? Are you going to stand there like a fucking statue? Huh" Kim approaches Craven " You have to take me back or how is that going to look? A Governor taking a prisoner away for a quickie" she smirked at the thought " Imagine the headlines. Governor demoted for fucking a prisoner"

Without a moment too soon, Craven slaps the back of his hand across Kim's face which caused her to stumble back

Kim catches her balance and brings a palm to her cheek, her hand flitches due to the sting from Craven's slap

She glares at the Governor " What the fuck?"

Craven approaches Kim and hits her face with his fist, but he doesn't stop there. He then targets Kim's stomach and punches it twice. He then shoves Kim to the floor, climbs on top of her and grabs her by the collar of her shirt 

" You think you can make a fool out me? Fucking piece of shit" Craven said angrily as he started punching Kim's face

Kim starts whimpering and moaning due to Craven's heavy blows

Craven stops his assault, grabs hold of Kim's shirt, climbs off of her and drags her to her feet " I know you prisoners have a code of silence and I tend to break that. You will tell me the truth, you slimy piece of dog filth" 

He hurls her across the room as if Kim was nothing more than a ragdoll

Kim rolls on her back and backs away as quickly as she can while Craven slowly approaches her. Due to the punches she has suffered from this psycho, Kim's started bleeding across her cheeks and bottom lips

She is now generally frightened of Craven " Stay away from me" her back is now pressed against the wall 

Craven stands over her " Still think you can call the shots" shaking his head in absolute disgust " Well not any more" 

Kim slammed her foot into Craven's left leg as hard as she could, which made the Governor groan and kneel down on one foot and holding his left leg. Believing Craven has every intention of killing her, Kim heads straight for the door

She scrambled desperately to pull the door open " Come on...come on" she catches Craven raising to his feet from the corner of her left eye and turns her attention towards him 

Craven grinned at Kim's retaliation " You're fighting back....good" he slowly approaches her like a hunter stalking it's injured prey

Kim turns around and bangs on the door " HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME! PLEASE!" she looks back again to find Craven standing in front of her 

" HEL..."

Craven forcefully grabs hold of Kim's neck, turns her whole body around and slams her hard against the door " No one is here to save you, Chang. No one is coming and you know why? Your worthless and you're pointless. You broke the law and this what you truly deserve. No longer will the women make a mockery out of me or this prison" he said coldly

 

" I gave you a chance to come clean and you didn't take it. You choose the hard way and you'll have to learn live with it. This is on you...NOT ME!!" Craven screamed " THIS WAS YOU NOT ME. NOT ME!!!"

Craven slams his free fist into Kim's stomach twice, before letting go of her throat and throwing her to the ground, making her fall on her right shoulder and land on her back 

He stands over Kim and slams his foot on Kim's right hand

Kim screamed in pain with tears running down her eyes " Leave me alone, please. I'll tell you the truth" she pleaded 

" She deserves more" the voice called to Craven again " Remember what happened...remember"

Craven snarled at his prey as he kicked Kim over to her stomach, raising Kim's teal hoodie and shirt up enough to reveal her bare back, undoing his belt buckle and firmly holds the belt in his hands

Even though he is punishing Kim for her crimes, he now sees someone else in Kim's place that destroyed his childhood and shaped him to the very being he is today. Craven raises his belt high into the air and slams it down on Kim's back 

Kim cried out in pain from the first whip

Craven slams the whip hard onto Kim's back again " This is what you deserve. You prisoners had it easy long enough. Well no more! No more getting away scot-free. What gives you the right to be treated like a human being after breaking the law? Huh? People like you get what you deserve" whipping Kim two more times

Kim's back now bared four whiplashes due to the force of the Governor's cruel hit. The tortured inmate cried and cried as the pain got worse and worse each time 

Craven had no sympathy for Kim as he continued his relentless assault 

" You made me do this" he brings the belt down one last time

After being satisfied with the whips, Craven knocked Kim back onto her back and punched her the stomach a few more times before finishing it with one punch to the face

"Are you ready to talk?" Craven asked her while trying to catch his breath 

Kim nodded and whimpered through the pain she has sustained on her body. She no longer cared about breaking the rule of silence, since she could no longer tolerate Craven's cruelty 

Craven gets off of Kim and stands over her " Well?" getting impatient with Kim " I could go on if you like"

Kim shakes her head " No anything but that" 

Craven frowned " Well I'm waiting" he snapped 

" It was Sonia Stevens Ok. It was her. She made me bring in the syringe and the hotshot, which would be used to kill Ferguson" Kim confessed

Craven smiled at his wounded and broken prey " There, now was that so hard? You could have easily told me back in the slot and we could have avoided all of this" he grabs hold of Kim's right arm and roughly pulls her to her feet

He drags her over to the table and sits her down on the chair " Here" handing the towel over to Kim 

Kim grabs the towel and wipes the blood off her face 

" Don't bother telling your friends or anyone what happened here tonight, because no one will care. When a prisoner breaks the rules and defies authority, they have no rights and they deserve everything they get. But I warn you..." Craven said as he picks up the antiseptic cream and stands behind Kim " Take off your hoodie and your shirt"

Kim quickly does as she is told by removing her hoodie and her shirt

Craven moves round to the front and gets in Kim's face " If you do tell anyone.....anyone!!. I'll make your life a living hell, you can count on that" he chuckled as he clearly enjoyed seeing Kim shivering in fear

" Got it?"

Kim nodded

Craven frowned " I'm sorry, what was that? I didn't you hear you properly" further intimidating his terrified and wounded prey 

" Yes! I won't tell anyone I promise" Kim replied with a few sobs

Craven smiled in satisfaction " Good girl. Now let's treat your back so it doesn't get infected and draw unwanted attention" he didn't care about leaving bruises on Kim since he'll leave her unintended in the slot for them heal


	18. Fighting For The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Scarlett was going to appear towards the end of this chapter and have a scene with Franky after Tom left. However, as I was halfway through the dialogue between Tom and Franky, I felt like I should just keep them in it and save a chapter between Scarlett and Franky later on. Since both Franky and Tom have huge roles in this story

After returning from his lunch break in the staffroom, Tom Shepherd returned to the general population to begin another round of work. His mind still raced with thoughts on why Craven had suddenly changed his attitude towards the prisoners and why he had decided to begin his crusade by correcting them by starting with the withdrawal of privileges

It didn't make sense to Tom, that Craven would start this just after Ferguson had brutally killed Kaz Proctor in cold blood and became Top Dog again. Craven never did anything before that, he sat back and watched everything play out

So why the sudden change? Why didn't Craven begin this when he first arrived at Wentworth? The timing of him stepping up and Ferguson becoming Top Dog seemed very suspicious

Tom still believed Craven has an alliance of some sort with the Freak. It's the only thing that made sense to him with the way Wentworth is now currently running. Apart from Sonia's death, there have been no conflicts, no violence, no drug bust or anything that would normally happen in a prison

It is as if time had stood still. The prisoners were more terrified of Ferguson now than they ever were during her first reign as Top Dog, and they did nothing to protest against Craven's harsh rules for them. You would think at least one or two prisoners would try to rebel but nope, none of them had uttered a single complaint 

Plus during their last two encounters, it gave Tom every reason to believe there is something not right about Craven. The way Craven reacted when Tom had asked whether or not Craven was in league with the Freak or the way he had spoken to Tom about his beliefs when it comes to corrections and how the prisoners had it way too easy

Tom didn't disagree with the fact, they should be more hard on prisoners but not in anyway of stripping privileges just for the sake of it

But he knows better than anyone that Tom can't make any complaints or attempt bring down the Governor without cold hard evidence. And getting evidence on his suspicions about Craven's alliance with Ferguson won't be easy to come by 

Tom is going to have fight tooth and nail to get what he wants. A lightbulb suddenly goes off inside the young screw as he remembered the incident occurring between Franky, Kaz and Allie a few weeks before Ferguson rose to power again

Franky had been close friends with Kaz and Allie, and it seemed the trio were planning to ensure the Freak would never become Top Dog again. However, that all changed pretty quick when word got out Bridget Westfall had been brutally murdered by unknown assailants

It was widely assumed within the general population, Ferguson had been behind the murder given her history with Bridget and Franky, but that quickly changed. It was soon to be revealed Kaz and Allie were behind the murder by use of outside contacts of the Red Right Hand in order to keep Franky in line and on their side

That itself raised too many questions with Tom. He may not have been around in Wentworth at the very beginning with Ferguson as the Governor or played witness to Ferguson's terror on Bea Smith and countless others, but he felt Kaz and Allie being behind the murder was utterly ridiculous 

Plus let's not forget, Craven had apparently visited the trio on more than one occasion that leads to bizarre incidents which included Franky turning against Kaz and Allie, Franky joining Ferguson's crew and three deaths including Kaz and Allie occurring only after Craven's visits

Is it possible that Craven has manipulated these women into turning on each other just to help Ferguson become Top Dog again?

Tom didn't want to believe this was the case, but there's too many things that didn't add up and Craven's attitude towards Tom, itself is enough to raise alarm bells

If Tom wanted a better idea of how this all went down and to get evidence, he would have to go straight to the source and that would be Franky herself. He quickly powered walked his way down corridors in order to get to H5 a lot quicker 

He is well aware of the code of silence that goes on among the prisoners, and that Franky can be a very good liar when she needs to be. However, Tom felt that bringing up Ferguson immediately and trying to understand exactly why Franky had joined her crew in the first place, it would be enough for Franky to open up to him

Three minutes later, the curious young screw had arrived at what seemed like an empty H5. There is no sign of the Freak, Rebecca, Raven or even Scarlett for that matter, but Tom wasn't the one to give up so easily. He steps inside and entered further into the unit, as he did, Tom catches Franky laying on her bed inside her cell reading a magazine 

" Good" Tom thought to himself as he approached Franky's cell 

Franky catches Tom standing outside of her cell from the corner of her left eye " What do I owe the pleasure?" she asked before turning the page

" A few words in regards to Ferguson" Tom replied as he takes a look outside of Franky's cell to see if anyone was coming into the unit

Franky laid the magazine on her chest " Sorry" shrugging her shoulders " I don't know anything about Sonia's death and Ferguson doesn't know anything either. She was in the yard when it happened"

Tom wasn't at all convinced with Franky's statement " I think we both know that's a lie, but I'm not here to discuss that" he steps inside Franky's cell and closes the door 

Franky jerked her head back " The fuck do you think you're doing?" she sits upright on her bed

" You really don't want Ferguson or the others to walk in listen to this, trust me" Tom replied as he stood in front of Franky with his arms folded

He hopes his visit and conversation with Franky won't be all for nothing. He hopes Franky will give him some crucial detail that will back up Tom's suspicions about Craven and his alliance with Ferguson 

Tom knew even with a small amount of information from Franky wasn't going to be enough in pursuit to fight for the truth, but it was a start 

Franky frowned at him " Well? What is it?" 

Tom met Franky's impatient gaze " First of all. Why in the hell did you join the Freak's crew? You've known her longer than the others and yet you choose to join her?" raising an eyebrow at her

Franky laughed as she pressed her back against the wall " Do you know how many times I've had people coming up to me and asking me about that? If I had a dollar every time I was asked that question, I could be a millionaire and buy my way out of this shit hole" 

She knew why she had to join Ferguson's crew. It was to protect her family on the outside and protect what was left of friends she had on the inside. Plus Franky no longer wanted to be on the other end of Ferguson's wrath 

It wasn't because she was scared of Ferguson if anything Franky was fed up with being a target and losing more people she cared about. Franky knew Bridget wouldn't be happy or proud to see her in Ferguson's crew, but Franky believed this was all for the best

" With your sentence?" Tom smiles and shakes his head " I don't think so"

Franky smirked at Tom " You want to know why I joined the Freak? Do ya?" pausing for a moment 

" Me and Ferguson were in on this from the start didn't you know? We had been friends from the very beginning and planned everything out. Sure there were a few hiccups along the way, but we got there in the end with Ferguson back on top. I only pretended to hate her long enough until the time was right to join her" 

Tom sensed sarcasm on Franky's part and didn't believe a word of what she had said " Yeah I don't think so. We both know you've had more than your fair share of beef with her dating back to her time as Governor. No one in their right mind would join her unless they were scared" he taunted

Taunting isn't something Tom would normally do, but if it could help him dig a little deeper to the truth and get a better understanding of what's been going on for the past several weeks, he knew had to try

Franky laughed " You catch on pretty quick, Mr. Shepherd. Your parents must be very proud of you" her humorous expression changed into a more serious tone " For the record, I'm not afraid of the Freak. Never have been and never will be"

Tom raised an eyebrow " Then why do it? Why join her if you weren't afraid of her?" pressing Franky for more answers like a true detective

" Last I checked, the women looked up to you. They wanted you to fight for them and what did you do?" shrugs shoulders " You turned your back on them

Franky frowned as she didn't like the way Tom was speaking to her " I did what was necessary. It's been proven time in and time out, Ferguson can't be beaten or stay gone for long. She'll always find a way to come back and rise again. If you were in my shoes, you would understand why I did it"

She couldn't believe the nerve of this man telling her she's a coward for turning her back on the other prisoners

" I warned Allie and Kaz long before Ferguson escaped, what would happen if they choose to cross her. And I warned them again when Ferguson returned. Did they listen?" shaking her head " No. They went ahead and got themselves killed. I did the smart thing by backing out and joining Ferguson. Quite frankly after what they have done, I'm glad they are dead"

Franky still believed Kaz and Allie were responsible for Bridget's death thanks to Craven's manipulations during that time where Franky had been left grieving and in a vulnerable state

Tom stared at Franky " You still think it was them and the Red Right Hand that killed Bridget Westfall? Why? It doesn't make sense"

Franky met Tom's gaze " That's what I originally thought too until Craven visited me in the slot and told me about Kaz's history with Ferguson. How they used to be a team before realizing it was Ferguson who is responsible for sending her and Allie to Wentworth in the first place" she then glances at the only window in her cell 

" It would make sense for Ferguson to give Kaz tools into manipulating people. How else did she try to break up Bea and Allie? Plus people betray people all the time in a place like this"

" I knew it!" Tom thought to himself 

Tom had his suspicions about Craven's separate visits with Franky, Kaz, and Allie. He knew those incidents that occurred after wasn't just a coincidence, it was all Craven's doing and this adds to some proof to his alliance with the Freak 

He felt sick to his stomach already after hearing Craven had manipulated a vulnerable Franky into turning against her friends when really it was Ferguson herself who must have been responsible for Bridget's death

Tom also now believed Ferguson had killed Allie and Craven put thoughts into Kaz's head during his visits to make her think it was Franky, just to the make the conflict and tension very real between them 

" Do you trust him? The Governor" Tom asked

Franky nodded as she kept her gaze on the window " He hasn't given me a reason not too and I sure wouldn't like to be in his shoes dealing with Ferguson as the Top Dog"

Tom kept his gaze on Franky " Don't you think it's a bit odd though? Governor Craven did nothing upon his arrival, he sat back and watched everything unfold. Just as Stewart and Channing did before him. But after Ferguson became Top Dog, it was only then Craven had decided to change the rules" he said

" I don't know" Franky shrugs her shoulders and turns her attention back to Tom " But what's done is done. Maybe he does and maybe he doesn't. If I made an alliance with Ferguson, then it's possible that Craven did as well" 

At this point, she really didn't care to actually think about Craven's relationship with Ferguson or why he suddenly decided to become more stricter with them. After everything she's been through with the Freak, you either stay out of her way or you make some sort of an alliance with Ferguson to save your own skin

Tom raised an eyebrow " Even if there was a possibility Craven had manipulated you and organized Ferguson's accession with the Freak herself?"

" Think about everything that has happened at this point. Westfall's death, you turning against Allie and Kaz, their deaths. Craven turning into a tyrant. It's can't be a coincidence that all these things happened without a reason"

Franky stared quizzically at Tom " Do you really think Craven and Ferguson have been in on this from the start? Allie and Kaz died because they were stupid enough to think they can take her down. I've known Ferguson longer than you, I know how she operates. Do I think it's odd Craven has enforced these rules" she nodded " Yeah but I think you're looking into something that isn't there, Mr. Shepherd" she replied

She stands up, walks over to her door and opens it slightly. Still no sign of Ferguson or anyone entering H5. Franky closes the door and turns to Tom 

" Personally whatever problems you may have with Craven, don't let Ferguson know about it. Even if by some chance your right, she'll come after you, like she did to Mr. Jackson and Mr. Fletcher. They crossed Ferguson and both paid the price. Although Mr. Fletcher was able to live to tell the tale, unlike Mr. Jackson" she warned Tom

Tom widens his eyes in shock " You think Ferguson had something to do with Will Jackson's disappearance?" he asked 

Franky smiles and laughs " That's a story for another time" she then moved back to bed, picked up the magazine and laid on her bed again 

" I think we are done here!" she told Tom 

Tom nodded as he opened the door and proceeded to leave, but he stops himself from leaving and stands in the doorway

He turns around to face Franky once more time " I do believe Craven has manipulated you and I sure as hell do believe Craven and Ferguson are a team. I implore you to seriously think about our conversation just now"

Franky flicks through the pages " Yeah I'll do that and don't worry. I won't mention this to anyone. It'll be our little secret" not giving Tom any eye contact

Without a moment too soon, Tom left Franky's cell and H5 and headed down the corridors once more. He felt disgusted by Craven's actions for manipulating Franky and orchestrating the events that caused Ferguson to gain power again 

But Tom also felt relieved because now his suspicions have been backed up with some bit of evidence. But he won't stop there. No! He'll gain more evidence and do whatever it takes to bring Craven to justice and he'll start by hiring a private detective to look into Craven's past with Walford


	19. Snapped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone War Among Prisoners is back and it's never going away again. I had a long hard think if I want to continue this and I do. I put a lot of heart and soul into writing this storyline and there's no way I'm giving it up. Anyway this chapter is a huge turning point for Rita

After staying back to help clean the tables in the dining room after dinner, Rita Connors gathered her toiletries, her pajamas, and a towel, and headed over to the shower block. She wanted to have a quick shower before being locked inside her unit for the rest of the evening

There are only three inmates present when Rita entered the room, she goes to the last shower cubicle and hangs up her belongings on the hook. After that, Rita steps inside the cubicle turns the tap on and steps back out, waiting for the water to warm up

It had been another uneventful day inside Wentworth, everyone is scared shitless of Ferguson and her crew whenever they entered a room, and Craven keeping his tight stranglehold over the prison

As Rita stripped nude, stepped back in the shower cubicle and closed the curtain, her thoughts drifted to Sonia's death, Ferguson's sadistic smile and pleasure of watching Sonia die a slow death, and also choosing to let Sonia die rather than help her 

The entire scene was beyond disturbing, although in someway Rita believed it was payback for what Sonia had tried to do to Ferguson earlier, but still. Rita didn't like the smile Ferguson had on her face. It made Rita sick to know that woman was getting off on watching another woman die right in front of her and her buddies 

In Rita's mind, Ferguson doesn't deserve to be Top Dog and be in control of anything. What has Ferguson done to protect the women in this place? Nothing! Ferguson would rather terrify her peers and submit them to her will 

Plus should any of the prisoners dared to speak or stand against the Freak, Ferguson has no problems in taking them out and enjoying every second of it. In fact, Rita believed the Freak enjoyed destroying lives more than just being in control

A real leader is someone who treats others equally, looks after their own when they are in need of help, and rules fairly. Not someone who's a control freak and a dictator who rules through fear

Rita also hasn't forgotten the look Sonia gave her. The look of fear and desperation in her eyes begging Rita to save her from death's door. But what did Rita do? she walked away rather than risk her own life in saving Sonia from Ferguson's wrath 

Never before has Rita ever turned her back on anyone who needed her help, she was always there to help them to the best of her ability. It wasn't in Rita's nature to value her life more than anyone else's

Rita is loyal, selfless and considerate. So what's has changed? Why did Rita turn her back on someone who she didn't trust for a second, instead of knocking down the Freaks and cutting the noose around Sonia's neck

Is it possible that Rita is thinking of stepping up and challenging the Freak? Despite hearing the stories of what happens to those that dare to stand against Ferguson? Is Rita going to be the savior that these prisoners desperately need? 

After her short encounters with Ferguson and her crew, Rita is seriously considering in going back on her vow to never get involved in prison conflicts. It wasn't just because of what happened to Sonia, it was also because Ferguson barely lift a finger to punish Raven for attacking Nicole

Rita hasn't forgotten the smug look on Raven's face in laundry last week. She wanted to beat Raven black and blue during that moment but knew if she did she would be sent to the slot

She had to choose and pick her moment with Raven, so any evidence doesn't link back to Rita and add extra time to her sentence. It was bad enough Rita will be spending three years in Wentworth, but the thought of the possibility of staying longer is quite daunting 

Which makes the situation with Ferguson and the choice of whether or not to step up makes it even harder for the conflicted inmate. Rita's gut instinct is to take Ferguson on and challenge her for Top Dog, but also a voice saying " Hey! You don't want extra time do you? You may beat Ferguson, but what's the point when you're in this shit hole for more than three years?"

Rita knows she's now at a crossroad in her life and whatever decision she makes, it will change everything for either the better or for the worse

As Rita continued weighing her options, she's unaware that Raven has entered the room holding a shiv tucked away inside her sleeve

Raven gave the three inmates who had just finished changing clothes a look as if to say " Get out or you'll wish you had listened to me"

The three inmates quickly gather their belongings and left the shower block 

Raven hears the sound of running water coming from the fourth shower cubicle on her right and sees the steam radiating above the cubicle. With a sly grin, Raven slowly makes her way down like a hunter stalking its unsuspecting prey

She has waited and bided her time for the right moment to strike. Raven knew after their last encounter and warning her prey, Rita would have kept her guard up for quite some time. So instead of attacking her the very next day, Raven waited it out until she was satisfied that Rita was no longer expecting an attack

" What a fool" Raven thought to herself as she now stood directly in front of Rita's shower cubicle

Raven will soon make Rita wish she had kept her mouth shut 

An unsuspecting Rita turns the tap off, slides her hand past the curtain to grab a towel to dry herself off. Once done, she grabs her pajamas and changes into them 

Raven holds out her hand with the shiv in full view for Rita to see, when she slides the curtain back 

After getting changed, Rita slides the curtain back and barely misses the shiv hitting her upper abdomen

"The fuck?" Rita looks up and sees Raven

Raven swings the shiv forward again, she misses but it caused Rita to stumble back into a wall with no possible way of escaping the next attack. Raven aims the shiv for Rita's stomach and swings it straightforward

Rita grabs hold of Rita's fist and a struggle breaks out between the two. Raven uses her strength to break through Rita's hold as the blade is now inches from touching Rita's skin, and Rita mustering her strength to back Raven's shiv away 

" You thought you've seen the last of me, did you?" Raven frowned while keeping a tight grip

Rita eyed Raven " You think this scares me? You couldn't even get the job done right, the first time" taunting the enforcer

She manages to raise Raven's fist holding the shiv just enough to slam it several times into the cubicle wall beside her

Raven loses her grip causing her to drop her shiv and by the time she has a chance to make an attack, Rita slams her elbow in Raven's left cheek which causes her to stumble out of the cubicle

Rita goes to punch Raven but her attack is blocked by the infuriated inmate and is met with a hard punch to the stomach. Raven doesn't stop there though, she goes on the offensive by tackling Rita the ground and climbing on top of her 

" Not so tough now are you?" Raven asked as she began slamming her punches left right and center onto Rita's face

" You think you can make a fool out of me!"

Just as Raven is about to deliver another punch, Rita spits in Raven's face and rolls their bodies around with Raven being on the bottom and Rita now on top

" This is for Nikki" Rita returns the favor by delivering a hard punch across Raven's face 

Rita punches Raven, again and again, cutting Raven's bottom lip and causing it to bleed. She is determined to make her pay for putting her hands on Nicole

Raven groaned from Rita's punches

Believing that their fight is over and satisfied Raven has been bested, Rita climbs off and foolishly turns her back on Ferguson's enforcer. Not wanting to be humiliated, Raven grabs hold of Rita's foot and forcing Rita to fall flat on her stomach

Raven quickly stands to her feet and starts kicking Rita's right and lower abdomen in order to weaken her enemy " Rule 101: Never turn your back on your enemy who can still fight. You stupid dumb bitch"

She viciously continues kicking Rita's abdomen again and again and again. Rita groaned in pain as she laid onto the left side of her body and lowering her defenses around her stomach for Raven to take advantage of

Raven sees an opening and violently slams her foot into Rita's stomach which caused her enemy to yelp. She stops her attack long enough to smile down on Rita " Had enough? I bet your regretting ever crossing me huh. Beg for mercy and I might stop the pain" she said gleefully 

Rita looks up at Raven and flips her off with the finger " Fuck you" she will never beg for mercy or given Raven any satisfaction in doing so 

She would rather go down fighting than beg for her life 

Enraged at Rita's defiance and remembering the pain she had inflicted on her uncle, Raven slams her foot into Rita's stomach again and now tends to break every bone in this woman's body. She starts by rolling Rita onto her back, holds up Rita's foot and prepares to lock it in an ankle lock

Rita uses her free foot to slam it into Raven's face before her ankle could be in serious danger. Raven stumbled back, Rita rises to feet and goes on the offensive. She counters Raven's punch by ducking and punching Raven's stomach 

Fighting through the pain in her stomach, Rita punched Raven right across her face and slams her into her a nearby wall and continues attacking the stomach. Rita is like an animal fighting to survive as she relentlessly continued her assault before throwing her enemy to the ground 

She pinned Ferguson's enforcer to the ground and delivers a series of punches across Raven's face. It's as if a switch had been flipped in Rita's head, she was no longer the laid-back prisoner that people have come to know her

Rita's had enough! She's done standing in the background doing nothing while Ferguson and her crew continue to have their way and terrorize the women in the general population. It's time for a change, it's time for a new Top Dog to emerge

No longer is Rita concerned about getting extra time added onto her sentence. She doesn't care if she ends up a lifer in Wentworth, all she's concerned is becoming Top Dog and protecting the women from the Freak

Raven could no longer defend herself as she now became semi-conscious from Rita's devastating attacks

Rita stops her attack, grabs hold of Raven's shirt and pulls her closer " Once your done feeling sorry for yourself. Go tell Ferguson her days are numbered. Do you hear me? I don't care if I have to take you and the other members of her crew down to get her. I will do whatever it takes, even if I have to send that bitch straight to Hell. I'll do it"

" Y...you're making a serious mistake" Raven replied 

Rita glared at Raven " Does it look like I give a fuck?" she spat in Raven's face and releases her grip

She climbs off Raven and went to her shower cubicle to gather her towel, her teal clothes, and toiletries. Rita takes one last look before stepping over Raven and making her way towards the exit

Raven sees her shiv laying just outside the shower cubicle, she rolls over to her stomach and crawls over to the shiv 

" I wouldn't If I were you" Rita warned as she caught a glimpse of Raven crawling over to where the shiv was from the corner of her right eye

Raven no longer listened to reason as her wounded pride got the better of her. She had been humiliated by a nobody in a fight and wasn't going to allow her to walk away with a few bruises

No! She wanted to kill Rita and that is exactly what she is going to do. Raven firmly grasp the shiv into her hand, stands up, scowls at her nemesis and charges towards her

Rita drops her belongings and grabbed hold of Raven's hand with the shiv, raises it in the air and knees Raven's stomach so hard it caused her to loosen her grip on the weapon. Rita grabs the shiv and uses it to stab Raven's stomach

She sees Raven's shocked expression but Rita didn't really care, as she takes the shiv out stabbed the blade deeper into Raven's stomach. Rita then removes the shiv and places it into her pocket

Raven collapses to the floor, groans and spits blood out of from her mouth, as she placed her hand over her stab wound to put pressure on stopping the bleeding that is currently leaking out

Rita picks up her towel, to wipe away the blood on her face, her clothes and toiletries again. She then walks over to the panic button beside the door and presses it " Don't ever come near me or Nicole again" she warned as she left Raven alone for the screws to deal with


	20. This Is War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter you've all been waiting for I hope. The beginning of Joan's rivalry with Rita

Ferguson noticed the looks the other prisoners were giving her as she lowered the handlebar of the steam press. They know after what happened between Raven and Rita last night, which resulted in Ferguson's muscle being sent to the hospital in critical condition, the Freak has obviously got some twisted punishment planned for Rita

As for Rita herself, she is currently in Craven's office and being questioned about Raven's injury and where Rita was during the time of the incident

" Stop staring and get on with your work" Ferguson said coldly to her peers

The inmates immediately did as they were told and looked away from Ferguson. Despite Rita's absence, they could already feel the tension in the room. It's so quiet that you could almost hear a pin drop. Not even the CD player that usually played one of Ferguson's favorite songs was never turned on when laundry duty had begun

And that spoke volumes. If Ferguson is furious to the point where she wasn't in the mood to listen to a classical song from Ludwig van Beethoven or Mozart playing in the background. You knew things weren't going to go well for the person Ferguson is furious with and in this case, it's Rita Connors

Ferguson didn't think much of Rita, to begin with, she viewed Rita as another worthless inmate coming in to be corrected by her and Craven. But then things started to change. It started when Rita stood up for Nicole in front of Raven and the Freak herself

The way Rita demanded justice in her friend's honor. The strength and courage it must have taken for the fearless inmate to conjure up in the face of adversity

Is it possible Ferguson has found herself a new enemy? A worthy adversary who still stop at nothing to bring her down? An enemy exactly like her old nemesis Bea Smith?

Ferguson now started to believe in the possibility of Rita being a threat to her status as the Top Dog and she has to take her out before Rita gives any of these worthless women hope and something to fight for 

" Joan!" Rebecca stood beside Ferguson " I need to talk to you"

Ferguson tilted her head towards her left " You want revenge for Logan. Don't you?" assuming that is exactly what Rebecca wanted

She then raises the handlebar

Rebecca nodded " Whatever you do, don't kill her. Leave that to me. Rita deserves to suffer for a while. She doesn't get the luxury of death. Not until I'm fucking satisfied" she angrily 

Ferguson noticed Rebecca's bawled fist shaking " Calm down, Widmore. I know your upset and understandably so. But you can't let your emotions cloud your judgment, surely you know better than that" reprimanding her loyal follower 

Her attention now went onto Nicole who was busy folding sheets and quietly talking to both Boomer and Liz 

" I can't help it, Joan. Raven is my whole world, the love of my life" Rebecca frowned up at her mentor " I've never felt this way about anyone before. Raven deserves justice for this atrocity" she demanded

Ferguson stared coldly at Rebecca " Do not tell me how to do my job. I understand where you're coming from, I do. If it were Vera, I would rip off the attacker's head and stick it on a pike beside the steam press. Emotions lead to mistakes, Widmore. If you want revenge, you need to calm down and plan. Strike when your enemy isn't looking, don't give her an opportunity to defend herself. I assure you, I'll let you torture Rita to your heart's content. But if she proves to be a hero all these women are dreaming for, I'm the one who kills her. Do you understand?"

It didn't matter if Rebecca is furious at Rita for putting her girlfriend in the hospital and it didn't matter if Rebecca is her apprentice, Ferguson will not allow her or anyone tells her what to do

Rebecca takes a deep breath to calm herself down " You're right" nodding slowly " Forgive me, Joan. I didn't mean to take my anger out on you. You've been a great friend and mentor. It won't happen again"

" Emotions do lead to mistakes. Raven must have fallen for that, she hates being bested by someone better than her" 

Ferguson placed her free hand on Rebecca's hand " You'll get your turn, but only when I allow it. I'm sure when she returns, Logan will be more than pleased that you've defended her honor" she said assuringly 

" We, Joan. We defended her honor" Rebecca smiled up at Ferguson " We are more than just a crew of friends. We are a family, Joan. When one fucks when the family, they mess with all of us"

Ferguson couldn't help but smile when Rebecca mentioned " family" to her. The family she grew up with was anything but ordinary. Her mother died when Joan was four years old and from then on, she was in the care of her cruel and domineering father that shaped her into the very being she is today 

There was no unconditional love, loyalty or support with Ivan Ferguson. Ferguson only received love and acceptance only when it suited Ivan. But if he wasn't pleased, he would make sure to let Ferguson know and make her feel worthless

When Ferguson formed her crew that is now known as The Freaks, it was clear that right from the get-go she didn't care about Rebecca or Raven. She only viewed them as pawns ready to do her bidding and to be disposed of when they were no longer of any use to the Freak 

However, as time went on with Ferguson slowly gaining power before becoming Top Dog again, Ferguson grew to like her minions and admired their loyalty. True loyalty. Ferguson never had that before with anyone. When a person claimed he or she had Ferguson's back, they would turn on her if the price is right 

But not Rebecca and Raven. They stuck with Ferguson when everyone else hated her and that was enough for Ferguson. From then on, she viewed them as true friends

Ferguson nodded in agreement " A family indeed"

" Geese would you look at those two" Boomer muttered quietly as she watched Rebecca and Ferguson from her table " They might as well get a room"

Nicole rolled her eyes " Ugh that's worse than Vera and Ferguson. With them, you can accept it. But Rebecca is what? Twenty four? Twenty-five? she looks old enough to be Ferguson's daughter" she said

Boomer shivers at the thought " What if Rebecca is Ferguson's daughter. How fucked up would that be"

Nicole laughed " That would be beyond creepy" smiling at Boomer " Do you think they are secretly fucking each other?" she asked curiously 

Boomer looked back to see if Rebecca is still talking to Ferguson, but immediately looked away when Ferguson lowered the handlebar and observed the prisoners around the room again

She turns her attention back to Nicole " Yeah, of course, they are"

" Forget Rebecca and Ferguson. What about what happens to Rita when she gets here and what Ferguson will do to her" Liz said worryingly 

She cared more about Rita's welfare than discussing whether or not Ferguson and Rebecca are related or in a secret relationship

"After what happened with Kaz, God only knows what that woman has in store for our friend" 

Boomer and Nicole now felt incredibly depressed at the thought of what might happen to Rita

" It's all my fault!" Nicole said sadly while folding a bed sheet

Liz shakes her head " No no it's not your fault, love. You didn't deserve to be bashed by Raven. She's a just a bully like Ferguson" trying to comfort her guilt-ridden friend

Nicole disagreed with Liz's comment about not blaming herself " It is my fault though. I should have kept my big mouth shut after Rita helped get me into medical. If I didn't tell her what happened, Raven would still be here and Rita won't be getting a death sentence"

She now wished she had a time machine so she could go back and prevent herself from speaking to her best friend. Hell! Nicole would go back and prevent herself from crossing paths with Raven in the shower block

If Nicole went for a shower ten minutes earlier, then everything would be fine. But as the old saying goes - what's done is done 

" Even if you didn't tell her, Rita would have found out anyway and would still do what she did to Raven. She's that kind of woman, love. A good friend sticking up for others" Liz said as she now thought back to her memories of Bea

If there was anyone in Liz's mind who could stop the Freak dead in her tracks, it was her old friend Bea Smith. Bea was the only person in Wentworth who could keep up with Ferguson's antics

Nicole nodded in agreement " Yeah I guess so. Still though" staring at Liz " How long can we all go on like this? Living in constant fear, worrying about saying the wrong thing to Ferguson or her crew? I understand this a prison but come on"

" Are you going to stop her?" Boomer asked Nicole

Nicole said nothing 

" Didn't think so!" Boomer told Nicole 

Rebecca notices Rita Connors entering the room " Well look who it is" 

All eyes including Ferguson's were now locked onto Rita's arrival. This is it. Time to find out exactly what Ferguson has in store for Rita and ensure that Rita doesn't attack her crew ever again 

Rita smirked " Missed me, did you?" she asked as she headed over to the same table where her friends are 

She sees Ferguson starting at her intently while eyeing Rebecca

Rebecca rolled her eyes " Please! Don't make me throw up. I'd rather have my throat slit"

Rita smirk grew wider "Well that can be arranged" taunting the little vixen

" Why you little" Rebecca was about to go over and attack Rita until she felt Ferguson's arm holding her back

Ferguson kept her cold gaze on Rita " You do realize what you did was an actionable offense? The women are waiting for me to punish you and I tend to do just that. Now stop what you're doing and come to me" she ordered

She thought it was best to put out the fire before it spreads and crush whatever momentum Rita has after her fight with Raven 

Rita nodded as she looked at Nicole, Liz, and Boomer before proceeding to head over to the steam press. As she started to leave, Rita felt Nicole's hand touching her shoulder which caused her to turn to face her friend 

Nicole gave a friend a sad expression " I'm sorry for getting you into trouble"

" You will be sorry by the time I'm done with you, Nikki" Rebecca threatened Nicole

Rita frowned at Rebecca before turning her attention back on her friend " It's ok, this is how I wanted it to be. Trust me. Everything is going to change" she said confidently

Liz raised an eyebrow at Rita " What do you mean?" a lightbulb goes off in her head and realizes exactly what Rita is planning to do " Don't do it, love. It's not worth it"

" Now, Connors!" An impatient Ferguson said 

Rita winked at Liz before heading straight over to the steam press. She now stands directly in front of the Freak " Let's get this over with"

There is no fear in her eyes, only strength, and determination. Rita didn't care long it will take to bring down the Freak, she's going to do it in order to save everyone and become the next Top Dog

Ferguson met Rita's gaze " Come around to me and place your hands in the press. Then Rebecca is going to bash you to her heart's content before you can be dismissed to have wounds treated in medical. You're lucky it's not your head. But if you continue on this path, it will be your head. I promise you" 

Rita shakes her head " Nah" she replied 

The prisoners gasped at Rita's defiance

Ferguson raised an eyebrow " I beg your pardon?" 

Rita stared at Ferguson " I'm not doing it. I've had enough of your reign as Top Dog, for too long you have terrified these women and forced all of us to go along with your sick and twisted rules. I've heard the stories of what you did to Bea Smith, Simmo Slater, Will Jackson, Mr. Fletcher, Allie Novak, Kaz Proctor, Jodi Spiteri, and even Franky over there" shooting a look at Franky who was on Ferguson's right 

She now turns her attention back to the Freak " You don't care about these women at all. You don't care about treating them with dignity and respect. It's all about being in control and forcing them to do what you want. A control freak. A control freak and a psychotic murderer. I thought long and hard about whether or not to challenge you. I didn't want to because I wanted to keep my head down, do my time and hope for an early release. But after everything I've seen, everything I've heard about you. Your reluctance to punish Raven for attacking Nicole and how you murdered Sonia Stevens with a smile on your face" Rita pauses for a moment

Ferguson scowls at Rita for talking to her like that. She couldn't believe the audacity of this woman telling her what's right, what's wrong and what a Top Dog should be like. Ferguson truly believes what she's doing in Wentworth is for the greater good and everyone will thank her for it in the long run

She can see the strength and the fearlessness in Rita's eyes as Bea Smith once did. A new enemy stepping out from the shadows with delusions of grandeur in taking Ferguson down and becoming Wentworth's white knight in shining armor

Oh Rita is going to pay big time for this insolence

Rita continued with her speech " It's beyond sick and I won't stand for it anymore. I'm not afraid of you and neither should any of these women in this prison be as well. They weren't when Kaz put you on trial with some going along with Sonia's plan to have you lynched. I may not have any support and that's fine, but things will change. I don't care if I have to take down your crew in order to get to you. I'll do it. So you can take your punishments and shove it up your wrinkly old ass. This is war"

" Fucking disrespectful bitch" Rebecca cursed as she breaks away from Ferguson's grip, moves past the steam press and charges towards Rita

Rita sidesteps Rebecca, wraps her arms around and locks the little vixen in a headlock " As for you" she starts punching Rebecca in the head 

" STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY FRIENDS"

Rita's actions have now caused an outroar among the prisoners as they cheered seeing Rebecca getting her ass whopped by the outspoken inmate

Rita releases her grip around Rebecca's head, knees her in the stomach and knocks the vixen down to the ground with one punch

Rebecca stands to her feet and wipes away a small bit of blood running down from her bottom lip. She looks at her hand and then scowls at Rita " Bring it on bitch" she charges at Rita again

After hearing the sudden outroar of cheers among the prisoners, Ms. Miles burst into the room along with Tom Shepherd to break the fight, which allowed Rebecca to sucker punch Rita when the latter wasn't looking 

Ms. Miles quickly grabbed hold of Rita, while Tom grabbed Rebecca to prevent the fight from continuing 

" Both of you have earned a trip to the slot!" Ms. Miles said to them

Rita locked eyes with Ferguson one more time before being escorted out of the room along with Rebecca. It's clear to the Freak, that Rita means business and could be a huge threat that destroys the perfect regime she has built with Craven


	21. True Justice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An inside look at Craven's mind, his beliefs, and his past

Ernest Craven stood in front of his father's grave holding an umbrella to protect him from the raining pouring down from the Heavens. It has been a while since he had last visited his father. He would always make a habit of trying to visit him but due to his responsibilities as the Governor in Wentworth and previously in Walford, it prevented Craven from visiting

The tombstone read - Thomas Craven  
April 18th 1936 - August 6th 1986  
A Loving Father And A Faithful Friend 

Unlike Ferguson, Craven had a great relationship with his father. Thomas Craven was always there for Craven when he needed him, playing soccer, reading Craven stories when he was a child and just spending quality time with him, whenever Tom wasn't working as a police officer 

Thomas had been known for his passion and dedication to helping those in need and putting the criminals in Melbourne Australia behind bars where they rightfully belonged. In fact, it was Thomas himself who had inspired Craven to start a career in corrections. At first, Craven did wanted to follow in his father's footsteps but he soon realizes how limited being a police officer and a detective really was, so he chooses to go in a different direction by becoming a prison officer instead and eventually working his way into becoming the Governor 

" I apologize for not visiting you as often as I used too, but as you know with my profession I have a lot of responsibilities being the Governor of a prison, and the amount of effort that goes into it"

Craven smiled at his father's picture on top of the tombstone" Hey! I'm here now and that's what matters. Lisa is doing very well and has decided to enter a baking competition to win tickets for a cruise" he nodded slightly " It would be great if she did win. As much as I love my job, I haven't had a holiday for over ten years and I could do with one" he paused for a moment 

" As for Scarlett? Your granddaughter. Well.... she's now a prisoner and has ended up in the very same prison that I'm currently running" Craven looked away from the tombstone briefly, almost ashamed that his own blood has broken the law and embarrassed him in front of the board

Craven sighed " I thank fuck Scarlett hasn't caused any trouble yet. She seems to be keeping her head down, but knowing her. It's only a matter of time before she makes her presence felt" he said grimly

" I should check on her and see how she's doing" Craven nodded at the thought of Thomas telling him to visit Scarlett tomorrow morning " Yeah I'll do that "

The conversation between Craven and his father now became awkward as he knew Thomas wouldn't approve of how Craven has been treating the prisoners of Wentworth and Walford during his time as the Governor or his ideologies in corrections

" Alright" Craven stared down at the photo of Thomas again " I know you might be disappointed with my actions and how despicable they might be, but I'm doing the right thing. Why" his voice now started tensed with anger 

" Why should they have any rights?" Craven frowned " They choose out of their own free will to break the law and what?" his eyes blinked " We are supposed to treat them like normal human beings? Reform them so they can be better citizens of the community?"

Craven scoffed at the thought " Don't make me laugh. They deserve nothing.....NOTHING!. The justice system is a laughing stock and beyond repair. The criminals have figured how to manipulate the system to their own benefit. They either bribe or intimidate the jury and the judge to get off scot-free and continue to hurt people. Even the fucking child molesters can be let out of prison for good behavior" even by describing how broken the justice system is, it's making him furious 

" It amazes me. It really does. There is no justice anymore. All it is is a get out of jail card. I heard you telling mum how frustrated you were in multiple cases where the scumbag criminals you tried putting away behind bars were back on the streets within the hour causing mayhem. You hated it, just as much as I did"

Craven's voice started to tremble as he thinks back to the memory of appearing in court with his mother to witness the verdict for Thomas's killer

" No one cares about upholding the law and holding the criminals to account for their actions. Making them pay for the lives, they have destroyed" Craven wiped away a single tear from his left eye " I'll never forget that day in court when the jury read the verdict on your killer"

 

*Flashback*

1987

Ernest Craven who was seventeen at the time sat next to his mother, Maria Craven, in the first row behind the lawyer who was representing their family and trying to bring Thomas's murderer to justice

Craven's attire is, in fact, the same attire as he now currently wears as the Governor at Wentworth. Dark blazer jacket, white collared shirt, black tie, black dress pants, and black shoes 

Maria Craven stood slightly taller than her son at 5 FT 10, she wore a short red blazer over her white and yellow floral dress with black shoes. She also had long brown hair that had been tied back into a ponytail and was no older than forty years old

Thomas had been murdered by a drug lord who went by the name of Jared Blake in an abandoned warehouse in the industrial part of Melbourne

Jared Blake had been known to Thomas and the police for quite some time due to his drug distribution in the criminal underworld. Many people had attempted to bring him down, but failed due to lack of evidence and perverting the course of justice 

So after months and months of piling evidence, it looked as though Jared would finally be sent down for his crimes thanks to those in his inner circle. Thomas, who had been on the case for a while now, got a tip-off from one of his contacts to meet him at an abandoned warehouse, where he had crucial information that would be enough to arrest and put Jared on trial

But, by the time Thomas had arrived, he was ambushed by Jared and his men, he was brutally beaten to a bloody pulp and it eventually ended with Jared putting a bullet through the back of Thomas's head

However, Jared didn't count on seeing a young couple who were in the area fooling around had witnessed the murder from a short distance. Knowing it was foolish to get involved, the young couple went straight to the police and told them everything 

However, the couple soon retracted their statements after Jared and his men harassed and threatened them with violence. This happened thanks to a to a tip-off from a corrupt detective, who lured Thomas to his death at the warehouse. Plus to ensure the young couple could never stand trial, Jared had made them appeared to be drug addicts by stashing heroin with needles in their apartment

And pretty soon any other incriminating evidence that Thomas had on Jared mysteriously disappeared 

Jared had short brown hair, green eyes and wore the exact same suit as Craven's but with a red tie. His body is made of solid build 

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, the jury re-entered the courthouse and sat in their seats

" All rise" The Bailiff announced 

Craven, Maria, Jared and every else in the courtroom rose to their feet

The Judge turned his gaze onto the jury " Has the jury reached a verdict?" he asked them 

" We have your honor" An elderly man named John replied 

The Judge nodded " Very well"

John stands up holding a piece of paper " We the Jury find the verdict.........."

Craven and Maria sat at the edge of their seats waiting for this old man to finally give Jared, the justice he deserves and put him behind bars for the rest of his life

" Not guilty, due to lack of evidence"

Maria burst into tears and wailed, Jared pretended to look relieved while secretly smiling on the inside and Craven glared at the jury

*Flashback ends*

 

" It was in that moment I realized, that if anyone has to hold scum like him accountable for their actions, I would have to do it myself. If scum like him can manipulate the system for their own benefit, then so can I. In a perfect world, I would be hailed as a hero and not have to worry about the possibility of losing my job. But this is not a perfect world. I represent true justice and I will continue to give the prisoners what they rightfully deserve, until the day I drop dead. You were frustrated, but lacked the courage to do what is necessary"

Craven self righteously believed that after what happened to his father, he has every right to treat his prisoners as if they were nothing but pieces of dog shit stuck underneath his boots

" I'm more than just a mere mortal, father. I am justice reincarnated into a living body. My form is justice and my form is the world. If the courts can't do it, then it's up to me to fix their mistakes. I don't care if your ashamed or disappointed, I know I'm doing the right thing and in time, you'll come to accept it"

Craven grinned at the memory of him brutally beating Kim Chang into an inch of her life " You should have seen what I had done to Chang. The look of fear she had in her eyes was exhilarating" he said sadistically

" At first Kim Chang tried to bravely fight it, but what poor fool doesn't when they know are in the wrong and try denying it" Craven's grin grew wider at the tombstone " In the end, Chang confessed her crimes and believed she got what she deserved"

Craven laughed " This is only the beginning, father. I will continue to punish her and any other unfortunate soul that ends up in the slot" his humourous expression changed when he remembered Rita and Rebecca are now in the slot along with Kim

" Although I can't put my hands on Rebecca or Rita yet. Since both of them are caught up in Ferguson's web, and her and I have an alliance. But it's only temporary. Once Ferguson is no longer of any use to me, I will punish her. She's nothing but an experiment to me. Although I have learned a lot from her, which is why I went out of my way to befriend her. Get inside her head and understand her motives and what makes Ferguson tick. I know she'll have her contacts trying to find something to blackmail and keep me under her thumb, but I've already beaten her to the punch. If Ferguson finds anything it'll be rumors and hearsay. I want to be better than The Freak ever was and I will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal"

Craven now felt as if a tremendous amount of weight had been lifted from his chest, the secrets and goals he had kept from his family for so long were no longer a burden. He knew by telling his father, nothing would happen since Thomas is dead. However, if Craven had told Lisa or a colleague, they would never understand and would immediately report him to the police

He takes a deep breath " Thank you for listening, father. I know it's a lot to take in, but I had to get it off my chest with someone and I'm glad it's you. Even if you were alive, there's a chance I'd still tell you. That's how much love and respect I have for you" 

Craven now looked at his wristwatch which read - 7:30 pm

" Well I better be heading home now, Lisa is cooking a roast and I think I've kept her waiting long enough"

Craven turned around and headed straight over to his car. He adjusts his umbrella and places it into the passenger seat, he hops in the driver's seat and proceeded to head straight home

Fifteen minutes later, Craven arrived home and caught a whiff of the smell of roast chicken as he opened the front door " Mmm that smells good love" he said as he closed the door and headed straight into the kitchen 

Lisa Craven smiled at her husband after she takes out the tray of the roast chicken from the oven and places it on the counter top " Perfect timing, Ernie. How's your day?"

Craven placed his arm around Lisa's right shoulder, pressed her against him and kissed her cheek " Terrific and yours?" he lets go of Lisa's shoulder, turned around and opened the fridge to bring out a bottle of Victoria Bitter beer

He takes the cap off and lightly sips on his bottle 

Lisa smiled and nodded " Great. I've finally figured out, what I'm going to be baking for the contest this Sunday" she said excitedly

Craven raised an eyebrow " Oh really? Is it your famous chocolate brownies?" he smiled as he placed his bottle down, grabbed a bowl of coleslaw and brought it over to the dining table

Lisa shakes her head " Nope! Although that was a strong contender"

" Hmmm" Craven placed the bowl down and turned to face his wife " Is it one of your delicious cakes?" he asked 

Lisa shakes her head again " Nope"

Craven's face dropped " Then what could it be?" he snaps his fingers after a lightbulb went off in his head " I know what it is" he walked over to Lisa " Could it be your cookies and cream rice krispies treats?" he wondered since that was the last thing he could think of

Lisa grinned at Craven" Bingo. I know those will be perfect to woo the judges over"

She felt her husband's arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her closer to him for an affectionate embrace. Lisa, in turn, wraps her arms around the back of Craven's neck 

" My my someone is very cheerful this evening" Lisa remarked with a bright smile on her face 

Craven chuckles " Would you rather have me angry or depressed?" he said playfully

Lisa shakes her head " No I like this. I could tell something was bothering you for a while, but that appears to have changed"

She had often thought about asking Craven whatever was troubling him, but felt it would be better if he came to her on his own terms instead of her trying to force her way in when Craven didn't want it 

Craven smiles and nodded " It has and I couldn't be happier than I am right now with the love my life in my arms. I love you" 

Lisa cooed at her husband's sweet comment " I love you too, Ernie"

They both leaned in to give each other a passionate kiss on the lips before they sat down for dinner and enjoyed the other's company for the rest of the evening


	22. The Beater

Rita Connors sighed in frustration as she paced back and forth in the small confines in one the cells she is currently occupying in the Slot. She's only been inside for one day and already Rita is bored out of her mind, she wanted to get back to the general population and start planning for Ferguson's downfall as Top Dog

Right now, Rita has nothing. Nothing to prepare herself for the Freak's attacks on both a physical and psychological level. And challenging someone like Ferguson without a full proof plan other than just declaring herself as a challenger is very unwise. You don't only need a plan but you need several backups planned just in case if Ferguson knocks down the first few that gets in her way 

Does Rita regret her decision by challenging Ferguson in public? Absolutely not. Rita knows she has made the right choice and is doing it to protect the women from the Freak's cruelty. Plus Rita also hated Ferguson with a passion which added fuel to the fire of wanting to step up in the first place

Knowing that her time in the slot will be very limited, Rita stopped pacing back and forth and sat down on the edge of the bed and started weighing her options very closely

The first thing that came to Rita's mind is that she won't have any support in her bid to become the next Top Dog. After all the horrible things Ferguson has done to them during her time as Governor and Prisoner, it's understandable no one would want to risk their lives for some noble cause

Plus it didn't help to know that Ferguson came back from the dead after being buried alive. If anyone can come back from that and still wanting revenge, then that person is not to be messed with on any level

So any support Rita might be thinking of getting has certainly gone out the window, but it didn't bother her in the slightest. In the span of two days, Rita has taken down two of Ferguson's top allies while also putting herself in the slot with her own bare hands

Rita has the strength but does she have the smarts to combat Ferguson on a psychological level? 

Only time will tell when things start to get heated in their rivalry. A rivalry that will determine the future of Wentworth and the lives of both the prisoners and the screws

If Rita succeeds in overthrowing Ferguson, everything will change for the better. Everyone no longer will have to live in fear and treading on eggshells. They can speak their mind about anything and won't have to suffer the consequences of their actions

But should Rita fail, Ferguson will still be in charge and most likely will either kill Rita to prevent her from challenging the Freak again or psychologically damage Rita beyond repair and if that is to happen, then all hope is truly lost and will add further proof that Ferguson is truly invincible, unbreakable and unstoppable 

This brings Rita to the one million dollar question

Can she take a life? Can Rita cross the line and send Ferguson to Hell for good so she may never return to wreak havoc in Wentworth again?

Rita isn't sure if she can take another person's life. Even if that person is willing to do whatever it takes to place Rita six feet underground

She has no problem in getting physical and injuring someone to the point where they need urgent care in hospital. But to cross that line and go from protector to a murderer?

Its the last thing Rita wanted to do or even think of, but this is Ferguson she's thinking about here. A woman who has destroyed so many lives and caused so much pain. A woman who manages to return from impossible situations

Rita knows full well if she chooses not to kill Ferguson, there is a chance that Ferguson will plan her revenge and come back stronger and deadlier than she's ever been. She's heard the stories of all those that had managed to defeat the Freak in the short term before Ferguson is ready to step out of the shadows again 

"There must be another way!" Rita thought to herself " There has to be a way to defeat Ferguson and ensure she can never make a bid to become Top Dog or destroy more lives"

If Rita has to resort to murder when everything else fails, she'll have no choice but to do it. Until then, she's going to avoid that scenario for long as Rita can and plan other ideas to finish off the Freak 

It's not going to be easy but Rita loves a challenge and she is determined to see it through to the very end 

Rita takes a deep breath and presses her back against the bricked wall while sitting on the bed. The worst part about being in the slot is that the mind can play tricks on you and make you think about all the possibilities that could happen when your not in the general population 

In this case, it's Nicole and the rest of Rita's friends. Ferguson isn't above targeting those closest to her enemy and using it to her advantage, and without Rita's presence then there's nothing stopping Ferguson or her crew targeting Nicole, Boomer or Liz

Rita shakes her head " No! I can't think about that. If I do, then I'll still have nothing by the time I'm back in general. Besides that is exactly what Ferguson wants. To make me go crazy and be an easy target for her" she assumed

Instead of concentrating on the " What if", Rita occupies her mind on how to win the prisoners over and taking Ferguson down. She hopes nothing will happen to her friends while being stuck in this place

Elsewhere, The Red Right Hand lead by Mel Barrett sat around in one of the picnic tables in the main prison yard. The group had been inactive since the deaths of Allie Novak and Proctor, and Ferguson's ascension to the top 

Mel wanted to lead a campaign of revenge against Ferguson and take her out herself, but she knew if she were to challenge Ferguson right after Kaz's death, Mel and the remaining members of the Red Right Hand would already be dead 

So instead of being upfront about it, Mel decided that the group should remain in hiding and plan in the shadows until finally one unknown inmate finally musters up the courage to stand against the Freak and her minions

Only then would the Red Right Hand reemerge and offer an alliance to help that inmate take Ferguson down for good. As far as Mel is concerned, neither she or the Red Right Hand wanted the glory of being the ones to finally rid Wentworth of the Freak. They just wanted a part to play in the downfall and to avenge the loss of their beloved friends

Before their deaths, Allie Novak had been Kaz's second in command should anything happen to her, but with both of them gone from the picture permanently, Mel was the obvious choice to take over the group 

Mel, Soz, and Snortz all discussed the events that had taken place two days ago where Rita challenged Ferguson in laundry and taken down two of her top allies. Plus the discussion among the inmates giving Rita a unique nickname

" Rita The Beater" Mel remarked with a slight nod " It has a nice ring to it and it's fitting, considering Rita had taken down not one but two of Ferguson's freaks. Even if one of them is in the Slot"

Mel is currently deciding whether or not Rita would be the right choice to align themselves with. She is impressed with how Rita manhandled Raven and Rebecca and getting the women to talk about her 

However, it could all be just luck and it would only be a matter of time before Rita's luck finally runs out. Mel wants to be sure that Rita is the right person before risking her and both Soz and Snortz's lives 

Soz looked at Mel "Do you think Rita could be the one?" 

Mel met Soz's gaze " Possibly" shrugs her shoulders " Hard to say right now. We need to meet her when she gets back from the slot" she replied

" Everyone's talking about her. I haven't seen anyone get this excited or talking about someone since.." Snortz paused at the memory of their former leader " Since, Kaz"

The Red Right Hand fell into silence as they thought about Kaz and the impact she made as Top Dog and overthrowing Ferguson in a kangaroo court

They missed her deeply along with Allie, things were never the same when Ferguson killed them. The Red Right Hand wanted to avenge their losses but Ferguson isn't exactly the easiest person to defeat

Plus even if the Red Right Hand did challenge Ferguson right after becoming Top Dog, Ferguson would have easily expected a retaliation from them and made plans to dispose of Mel, Soz, and Snortz 

Mel frowned as she bawled her hand into a fist and slammed it on the table " That fucking cunt. It should be Joan with her head in the steam press, not Kaz's. It should be Joan with a screwdriver slicing her neck, not Allie's" 

" We should never have protected her in the first place. Ferguson made fools of us all and has ruined our reputation beyond repair" she stated

Mel hated the fact that while she was recovering from Sonia's attack a few months ago in hospital, Ferguson had been running rampant in her quest for total control. If only Mel's injury wasn't as severe at it turned out to be, maybe she could have made a difference and help Kaz defeat Ferguson

Soz stared at Mel " Which is why we should give Rita a chance. Kaz would have done the same if any one of us had been killed instead. We owe it to her and Allie to make Joan pay for the pain she's caused. Despite Ferguson's presence as Top Dog, everyone is talking about Rita. Even if it's in whispers. I understand that we need to use our smarts, but still" 

" I agree" Snortz nodded " This can be our chance for payback and to revive The Red Right Hand. If we can show that we have sided with Rita, the others will fall in line and finally have the courage to stand up to the Freak" she suggested

" We understand your reservations and care about us, as much as we care about you. It's your decision alone, but something needs to happen to the Freak. Even if Rita is a one hit wonder, we can still take that bitch on with her back turned"

Mel looked at Soz and Snortz " You're right. We owe it to our friends to make Joan pay for her crimes against the Red Right Hand. No more standing around and looking the other way" she replied 

A lightbulb went off in her head that caused Mel to grin

Soz and Snortz looked at each other briefly before turning their attention back onto their grinning friend 

"We know that look!" Soz said with a smile " You've got a plan don't you"

Mel nodded in reply but didn't say anything 

Snortz stared at Mel " Well tell us" not wanting to be left in suspense

Mel's grin grew wider " Follow me" she gets up from the picnic table and proceeded to head inside 

Soz and Snortz quickly got up from their seats and followed Mel back inside as they headed down a corridor with them walking behind their leader

" So are you going to tell us or not?" Snortz asked 

Mel replied " All I'm going to say for now is we hurt Ferguson the same way as she hurt us. I don't want anyone else knowing the full extent of my plan until we are alone in H3 and have talked to Rita"

Soz smiled as she realized what Mel meant by hurting Joan " Oh I get it. Brilliant, Mel" praising her friend 

" I still don't get it" Snortz said as she turned down the next corridor with her friends 

Soz whispered in Snortz's ear about Mel's plan which caused Snortz to smile 

" Joan won't see that coming!" Snortz said to Mel 

Mel smiled at Snortz " Not at all"

Three minutes later, The Red Right Hand find themselves standing outside H1 where they see Nicole, Liz, and Boomer sitting at the table drinking their drinks of coffee. The Red Right Hand entered swiftly into their unit 

Mel smiled at the trio " Hey everyone" announcing her presence

Liz tilts her head slightly to look at Mel " Hi Mel, how are ya?" she asked

Mel looked at Liz and nodded " Yeah good and yourself?" 

Liz smiled " Pretty good too. You want a cuppa?" she asked while also looking at Soz and Snortz 

Mel shakes her head " No thanks. We won't be staying long, just here to pass on a message" 

" And what message is that?" Nicole asked curiously as she stared at Mel 

Mel looked at the trio " When Rita is released from the slot, tell her to come to meet us in H3 and if she asks why. It's about taking down a certain someone that we both hate"

Liz nodded " Yeah ok. We can do that" she replied 

" Thank you, Liz. I'll let you guys get back to it then" Mel said as she turned around and started making her way out of H1 but stopped when she heard Nicole spoke

" Wait"

Mel turned around to face Nicole 

" Who are you guys and what's your beef with Ferguson?" Nicole asked " I mean don't get me wrong, I think it's great you want to help Rita because she's going to need all the support she can get. But still" unaware of the history between the Red Right Hand and Ferguson 

Mel smiled at the young blonde " It's a long story but if you must know. We were" she paused to correct herself " We are the Red Right Hand who protect the young and vulnerable women in this place and outside of Wentworth. Ferguson killed two of our close friends and we want payback"

She turned around again and left H1 along with Soz and Snortz to head back to their own unit and prepare for what they are about to unleash on the Freak


	23. New Threats

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this story so far has lacked Freaky Tits, especially after my last story was all about them and their relationship. I apologize for that and there will be more Freaky Tits scenes in the near future

"And so it begins, the battle for control" Ferguson announced as she stared at the window inside her cell

Vera Bennett sat on Ferguson's bed watching her girlfriend intently

As furious as Ferguson was at Rita for standing up to her in laundry, she is actually somewhat relieved. She has been waiting for someone to stand up for some time and test her limits since Ferguson was becoming quite content with her role as the Top Dog and she needed someone to remind her, that despite ruling Wentworth with an iron fist there will always be someone attempting to bring her down 

Even though Ferguson was always on the lookout for future enemies after rising to power again, she started to believe because of the amount of damage and fear she has caused by wiping out her remaining enemies there would be no one left to challenge her again

Thankfully that wasn't the case as Rita Connors threw her name into the ring as a contender 

Vera kept her gaze on Ferguson " This should be interesting for a whole host of reasons. One, Rita is a newbie, an unknown inmate that has no prior history with you or Wentworth. Two, standing by your side and watching you work your magic again" she said with a smile

The Vera that everyone had come to know her. The woman who always thought about everyone else above her own needs, the shy and timid woman who used to be afraid of her own shadow had died from the moment Vera had started a relationship with Ferguson

In its place, Vera has become manipulative, deceitful and only remaining loyal to the Freak. It's almost as if a switch had been flipped inside the little mouse's head or a cork being unscrewed from a bottle that allowed the dark side to be unleashed and influencing her personality 

We all know Vera has dabbled in the dark side, she's not nearly innocent as everyone has made her out to be. She organized a riot alongside Jacs Holt in which she can easily contain in order to impress the Governor at the time, Meg Jackson

But it wasn't until Ferguson's arrival that we saw a good chunk of the darkness that lies within her, a darkness that is begging to be freed from its confinements and Ferguson held the key to its freedom 

After putting up years of emotional and psychological abuse at the hands of her cruel mother, Vera killed her by euthanasia. Then several months later after a riot broke out which caused the little mouse to be injected with Hepatitis C by Juice Gambaro, Vera shoved her down the stairs 

It didn't stop there though, as the darkness continued to grow with Vera rigging the Top Dog elections in Bea's favor to decide whether or not there should be a Top Dog and framing Ferguson for Bea's murder by erasing footage on the cameras that actually showed Bea commiting suicide

And when Vera finally confessed her feelings to the Freak, the bottle containing the darkness had been broken and allowed it to consume her very being. Which in turn caused Vera to easily look the other way as Ferguson murdered Jake Stewart, Will Jackson, Allie Novak, Tina Marcado and Kaz Proctor

Ferguson tilted her head slightly towards her girlfriend " I'm surprised at you, Vera. Before we even got together, you were disgusted with how I operated. The people I supposedly hurt" she said amusingly 

Vera smirked " What can I say? I love watching you work. And as before?" rolling her eyes " You know what it was like, you and I were on different sides of the fence, thanks to manipulations that drove us apart. You brought out the real me, Joan"

She presses her back against the wall behind her and rested her hands on her knees

" So what are your thoughts about Connors and how are you going to deal with her? And what about Widmore when she returns from the Slot?" 

Will Ferguson be furious with Rebecca?

Will Ferguson immediately kill Rita before she proves to be a serious threat?"

So many questions running around inside the little mouse's head

Ferguson turned around, walked two steps over to her bed and sat down beside her girlfriend " So many questions today, Vera. If I didn't know any better, I say you were a curious cat and you know what curiosity did to the cat. Don't you?"

Vera smiled at her girlfriend " You know cats have nine lives, even if you did something bad to me. I would survive" she said playfully

" You've underestimated me on more than one occasion. I may just surprise you, yet again"

Ferguson smirked back " That is true, but let's not forget. I was your mentor, so you've learned from the best. But I haven't taught you everything, as a good mentor should" she replied

After spending a prolonged time apart, Ferguson is glad that she has Vera right back where she belongs. People called her the Freak and a monster who only cares about herself and isn't capable of showing love to the others

But they are dead wrong. Ferguson is capable of love, as currently seen in her relationship with Vera. They accept each other for who they are and love each other unconditionally which is something that Ferguson always wanted

She thought for sure after Jianna's passing, Ferguson would never find love again or even attempt it, but she did. Ferguson is a woman who has been hurt, betrayed and lied to by people who claimed to care about her, which caused the Freak great difficulty in connecting with others

Ferguson believed if she keeps to herself, no one would hurt or see how vulnerable she truly its, until, Vera came along and changed everything

Vera nodded " That is true. But still, I know you wouldn't kill me. So come on, tell me" eagerly wanting to know what her girlfriend's plans were

Ferguson met Vera's gaze " You're right about underestimating you on a number of occasions. You've surprised me a great deal and given my previous experiences with both Smith and Proctor, I will not make the same mistake with Connors"

She looked away from her girlfriend " I'll let Connors make the first move, feel her out and see what she is capable of. Only then will I make my move and crush any hope these women have and then things will go back to the way they were three days ago" Ferguson said decisively

Never again will she overlook her competitors and allow them to do something that could seriously endanger her own life. Ferguson barely survived her lynching and if it wasn't for Vera, she would have died long ago from not considering Kaz or even Sonia for that matter as a serious threat

" Connors reminded me of Smith and the rivalry we once had. Smith was a strong woman who had come from an abusive relationship and lost her daughter to Jacqueline Holt's son. She was fearless, remorseless and manipulative in her bid to become Top Dog and to get rid of me. But by the end, Smith had turned into a shell of her former self, her eternal sentence looming over her constantly that caused her to become depressed"

Despite her resentment towards her former foe, there is a part that made Ferguson miss Bea and the rivalry they had. Bea was Ferguson's first true enemy in their battle of wits and mind games

Will Rita fill the void that Bea had left?

" Connors will obviously have a different past but she appears to be strong and fearless. It'll be interesting to see how far, she'll go to protect the women from me" Ferguson said to no one in particular

" And Widmore?" Vera asked 

Ferguson looked back at her girlfriend " It's understandable Widmore would lose control when someone close to her has been seriously injured and not knowing their fate. I'll let her off"

Vera grinned " Wow" shaking her head in disbelief " I never thought I'd see the day that Joan Ferguson would show mercy to another human being. You must be getting soft in your old age" she joked

Ferguson smirked " It's very unwise to talk that way about your Governor, Ms. Bennett. Verbal abuse of an officer is a punishable offense and I'm not talking about sending you to solitary confinement"

Vera licked her lips " I'm prepared for whatever you've got" playfully taunting Ferguson 

Ferguson leaned in closer " Be careful what you wish for" she whispered before kissing the little mouse on the lips 

Vera passionately kissed Ferguson back as she wrapped an arm around the back of Ferguson's head. After kissing for a few seconds, Vera breaks the kiss and grinned at her girlfriend 

" Bring it on"

 

Meanwhile, Ernest Craven decided to stroll down the corridors of the general population and get a good look at how Ferguson is running things and seeing the fear and misery in the faces of these worthless human beings

As he passed from corridor to corridor and checking in with his colleagues on the day's progress, seeing the prisoners made the Governor's stomach turn. Pathetic low lives, who have no right to stand in the presence of the self-proclaimed God of Justice. The arrogance these prisoners have for expecting to be treated like normal human beings after committing such heinous crimes against humanity is outrageous

If he had it his way, Craven would immediately start attacking the prisoners and not just beating them up. He would taser them or perform the same crimes that these worms committed as part of their punishment. Whether it was putting drugs into their system, assault or stabbing, Craven will do it

However, if he were to attack a prisoner in public where his colleagues are watching him, Craven would lose his job and be arrested for assault. The Governor can't afford to lose his job and his freedom, knowing his work is for the good of society 

Craven snaps out his thoughts when he hears a familiar voice calling to him 

" Craven"

The Governor turned around to see Franky standing in front of him " Hello, Doyle. Long time no see. How have you been?" putting on his charming smile while pretending to be Franky's friend 

Franky nodded " Yeah, all good. I was wondering If I could talk to you in private" 

Ever since her conversation with Tom in regards to Ferguson and Craven himself, Franky couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of Craven setting her up and orchestrating Ferguson's rise to Top Dog again 

Franky tried her best to brush these thoughts aside, but Tom did make some valid points. Craven started becoming very strict with her and the other prisoners after Ferguson killed Kaz, it was a drastic change in the personality that Craven was previously known for

Plus to hear that Craven has visited not just her, but Allie and Kaz on several different occasions was definitely odd

Craven smiled at Franky " For you, absolutely"

Franky tilted her head towards her right " Follow me" motioning for Craven to follow her down the corridor

Craven walks alongside Franky and is soon led into the corner of the stairway, where there was hardly any screws or prisoners wondering around that could overhear Craven and Franky's conversation 

" Everything ok?" The Governor asked

Franky sighs " There's something that's been bothering me for a while and I need you to be open and honest with me," she said firmly

Craven raised an eyebrow " Sounds, serious" he slightly nodded his head " But yeah sure. I'm not the type of person that lies, Doyle. I've always been honest with you during our conversations in the Slot"

" Did you manipulate Kaz, Allie and me to turn against each other and do you have an alliance with Ferguson?" Franky asked as she folded her arms across her chest 

She hoped Craven isn't involved and Tom is just looking into things that aren't actually there, but if he is right and Craven is the not person he claims to be, then he would have made a fool out Franky and caused her to turn her back on everyone 

And if that is the case, God help him

Craven pretended to be offended by Franky's accusation by jerking the top half of his body back and frowning at her " Excuse me"

Franky met Craven's gaze " It's a simple question, Craven. Did you or did you not visit Allie, Kaz and started an alliance with Ferguson?" she pressed him 

Craven ignored Franky's question by asking one of his own " Who told you this? Was it Mr. Shepherd?"

It had to be Tom that whispered into Franky's ear, he's the only one that sees through Craven's facade and knows about his visits with Allie and Kaz

Franky said nothing but her silence definitely answered Craven's question 

Craven shakes his head in disbelief " Unbelievable. The nerve of that man to put thoughts into your head"

Franky stared quizzically at him " So it's not true then?"

Craven met Franky's gaze and frowned at her " No! I did not help Ferguson to murder Novak and Kaz. And I certainly did not form an alliance with that horrible woman. The visits though?" he nodded " Yes! I did visit Novak and Proctor but not for the reasons that bastard has made you believe though" he replied

While he pretended to be offended by Franky's accusations to throw her off, he is actually furious with Tom who's starting to become a bit of a nuisance 

Franky remained unphased by Craven's anger " It is very odd though and what about this whole no privilege agenda thing? Huh? That all started with Ferguson becoming Top Dog"

Craven fought back the urge to strangle Franky's neck, instead of acting on his impulses he takes a deep breath to calm himself down " I visited Novak and Proctor for the sole purpose of trying to get to the bottom, whether or not if they really did kill, Bridget Westfall. I truly believe it was Ferguson who killed Bridget and with the history, the both of you have shared, she used that to her advantage and manipulated you"

" As for stripping away your privileges, all of you have had it easy for too long. Wentworth has been made into a laughing stock and I tend to restore it's honor. It won't last though, I assure you. This is more like a..." Craven paused to find the right words " An experiment that has been approved by the board. By taking away the privileges, you'll realize that me and my colleagues are in control. Not the prisoners. And I will reinstate them when I'm satisfied that all of you have learned your lesson" he lied 

" Why did Mr. Shepherd say those things?" Craven shrugs his shoulders " I don't know. I don't know what I did to offend him, but he hates my guts and is obviously gunning for my position. And from the sounds of it, Mr. Shepherd will resort to anything to get me fired by making up rumors and false accusations"

Franky nodded in satisfaction " Thank you for clearing that up. I'm sorry for doubting you and he really does hate your guts. I didn't believe Mr. Shepherd at first, but what he was saying was very convincing and it kept eating away at me" she confessed 

Craven smiled at Franky " It's ok and it's clear Mr. Shepherd is a very good liar and manipulator. You'll do best to stay away from him in the future. Anything else you would like me to clarify?" he asked

" Nah" Franky shakes her head " I'm good"

Craven looked at his wristwatch " Good! Because I'm going out for my lunch break. Good day, Ms.Doyle" he left Franky in the stairwell and carried on making his way out to the carpark 

As he got in his car and started the engine, Craven now thought about how he's going to handle Tom. It's clear that Tom won't give up this pursuit of exposing Craven for who he really is and something has to be done about it

Craven will not allow Tom to get in his way of carrying out justice towards his prisoners. So once he has returned to Wentworth, Craven is going to have a little chat with Tom and see what else he knows, before making plans to destroy him


	24. You Should Be

After returning from lunch, Craven had spent the majority of the afternoon digging into Tom's profile and finding anything that allowed him to have leverage over his adversary. It's clear to the Governor, that this man won't give up his pursuit in exposing Craven for who he really is 

Craven needed to find something that could help him turn the tide and keep Tom under his thumb. He grunted and cursed when it appeared Tom had a squeaky clean profile until Craven had read a report that Tom had asked to be transferred from Blackmoor over to Wentworth due to personal reasons 

" Interesting" Craven smiled as he picked up his phone and punched in a few numbers 

Luckily for the Governor he happened to have a good relationship with the Governor of Blackmoor and would gladly give him any details that lead to Tom Shepherd's exit from the prison

Craven held the phone to his ear and waited for his call to be answered 

" Hello, this is Maria Mitchell. Governor of Blackmoor prison. Who may I be speaking with?" Maria asked

Craven smiled " Gidday, Maria. It's me, Ernest Craven, here. How are ya?"

" Hi Craven, I'm not too bad and yourself? How are you handling Wentworth? It must be like a circus over there" Maria asked curiously

Craven nodded " Yeah it's going well on my end. Things are finally looking up for this place, the prisoners are doing exactly as I say and even it's former Governor, Joan Ferguson, is doing exactly as I say too"

" You don't say" Maria raised an eyebrow " I heard she's a psychotic freak over there and the stories that everyone whisperers about. Who would have thought that a former Governor would not only end up locked inside her own prison, but ended up becoming Top Dog not once, but twice" she said incredulously

Craven stands up from his chair and approached the window '"Yeah listen. I was wondering if you could help me out with something. It concerns one of your former colleagues"

" Sure" Maria replied

Craven looks down at the women in the yard from his window " I read in Mr. Shepherd's profile that he requested to be transferred to this particular prison due to personal matters. I was hoping you could clarify that for me. Just so I know that he isn't dangerous to my prisoners"

Without a moment too soon, Maria gave Craven all the details in regards to what led Tom to be transferred over to Wentworth. The Governor couldn't help but smile as the wheels started to turn in his head, thinking up a twisted scheme to put his foe in his place

" Thank you, Maria. You have been most helpful and I feel better now that I know what the personal matter was. We should catch up sometime and go for a drink. Yeah ok...ok...I go to go. Ok bye" 

Craven ended the call and placed the phone back in his pocket " Got ya" he walked back to his desk, sat down and grabbed his walkie-talkie " This is Zero One, calling to Zero two"

" This is Zero Two, Governor" Ms. Miles answered while walking down a corridor in the general population 

Craven ordered " Bring Mr. Shepherd to my office at once. There's something I would like to discuss with him"

Fifteen minutes later as requested, Ms. Miles brought Tom to Craven's office. She opened the door and allowed the honorable young officer to step foot into the lion's den. It didn't take long for Craven and Tom to lock eyes with one another

" Thank you, Ms. Miles. Leave us" Craven said as he watched Tom standing in front of him 

Ms. Miles observed the dirty looks Craven and Tom were giving to each other and while she had no idea what the story behind it was, she could feel the tension between these two men 

She nodded, grabbed the doorknob and closed it behind her

" You wanted to see me?" Tom asked sarcastically

He soon noticed a closed file with his name labeled on it

" What are you doing reading my file?"

Craven takes a deep breath " Before we get to that subject. I would like to know exactly what I have done to offend you? I know I'm nothing like Ferguson, Bennett or any of the other Governors that previously ran this prison. I can be strict and harsh. But when your the Governor trying to rehabilitate the prisoners, you have to be tough. So what have I done to you that made you make up these wild accusations about me during your conversation with Doyle"

He didn't care if Tom hated his guts because Craven felt the same way about Tom, but he had to use his smarts if he wanted to be rid of his enemy. Craven needed to feel Tom out, learn what makes him tick, learn his weaknesses and know everything he has discovered about Craven's activities 

Tom raised an eyebrow incredulously " Wild accusations?"

Craven nodded " I'm a big boy, I can take it. But hating me for no good reason and making up these accusations that have no truth to them?" shaking his head "Do you have any idea what that does to me? To the job that I love? Give me one good reason, why you went out of your way to drag my name through the mud" he frowned 

" How about manipulating Doyle for starters? You convinced her that Proctor and Novak were behind Ms. Westfall's death. It's obvious it was Ferguson, but you got inside her head. Made Doyle turn against her friends and vice versa. It's clear that you and the Freak have an alliance of some sort. Why else would you take away the prisoners privileges?" Tom snapped at Craven 

Tom hated Craven with every fiber of his being, he hated people claiming to be who they aren't and when confronted, they still continue to lie and Craven was no exception. The evidence of Craven's sudden change in prison policy and his visits with Doyle, Novak, and Proctor that lead to several incidents was hard to deny 

And yet Craven still pretended he has no clue what Tom is talking about

" For once in your life, don't deny it. Tell the truth"

Craven frowned " That's rich coming from you" he countered

" What do you mean?" Tom asked

Craven placed his hand over Tom's file " This now brings us to why you're in my office. After setting the record straight with Doyle, I had a thorough read over your file and found something that immediately captured my attention"

His eyes drifted up at Tom " You previously worked at Blackmoor correct?" Craven asked no one in particular 

Tom nodded as kept his gaze on the Governor 

Craven opened the file and turned a few pages " It says that you had requested to be transferred to this particular prison due to a personal matter"

Tom sighed because he knew where this was leading too, an incident he would have preferred to have never happened. He loved working at Blackmoor and helping the women there to the best of his ability, but there was one inmate that almost ruined his entire career and nearly cost him his freedom

He easily assumed Craven followed up this up with Maria in Blackmoor to discuss what the incident was

Craven smiled at Tom's discomfort " I had a little chat with Governor Mitchell and she told me everything. It appears you were accused of sexually assaulting a fellow prisoner named, Courtney Ford"

"Which was later proven untrue" Tom retorts

The mention of Courtney's name made Tom's stomach turn

Craven raised an eyebrow " Mr. Shepherd, do I detect a hint of anger?" he laughed amusingly at his foe 

" I've got you right where I want you!" he said to himself

Tom takes a deep breath " Courtney Ford was a troubled inmate, she had a broken past, she was young and had no one to look out for her. She was lonely and against my better judgment, I went out of my way to befriend her. We hit it off really well as friends and became close, but it turned out Ford had feelings that went far beyond friendship for me. I didn't. And when I rejected her advances, she accused me of rape and tried to destroy my career" he paused for a moment 

" She almost succeeded, when I tried getting her to stop these accusations. Courtney said she would if we became a couple. When I refused, she screamed and started ripping her clothes to make it look like I was attacking her again, and Governor Mitchell walked in on us. In the end, Courtney was found out as a liar thanks to CCTV footage and an inmate lagging on her after confessing she made the whole thing up"

Courtney's accusation had taken a toll on Tom's personal life which resulted in breaking up with his fiance who immediately believed the accusations and the evidence against him

" I asked to be transferred here because If I stayed at Blackmoor, who knows what else Courtney would have tried to do, to ruin my life. I just needed a new start"

Craven's smile faded " I see. You have some nerve accusing me while pretending to be high and mighty. You're just as bad as the rest of us. No one is perfect, Mr. Shepherd. Not even you" he stated

Tom frowned " Unlike you, I was vindicated for Courtney's crimes against me. But you? You hide behind this facade of pretending to be a tough and fair Governor. You don't give a damn about the women or rehabilitating them. So cut the crap and be honest for once"

Silence emanated throughout the room as Craven and Tom locked eyes with one another. It is clear that neither one is willing to back down without a fight. Both of them see the other as a threat that needs to be taken down

Craven decided to drop his facade and show his true colors towards his enemy " If you really believe I have done all these terrible things. Forged an alliance with the Freak, manipulated Doyle into turning against her friends and God knows what else is going through your mind. I suggest your next course of action would be to tread lightly" he threatened

" I am the last person, you want to fuck with"

Tom stood his ground and refused to be intimidated " I know if I reported this to the board or the police without proof, they will laugh at me. I will do whatever it takes to expose you for who you really are and bring you down. If someone like Courtney can be brought down, then so can you. I won't stop. When I believe in something or see something that is wrong, I won't rest until it's fixed"

Craven stared coldly at his nemesis " You poor foolish man. You have no idea what you have just started" he replied grimly

" I'm not scared of you!" Tom said defiantly 

He then turned around, headed over to the door, opened it and leaves Craven's office by closing the door behind him 

Craven kept his gaze on the door " You should be"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter marks the long-awaited return of Scarlett Craven. There's a reason why I had kept her out till now and I'll explain that in the next chapter


	25. Family Sticks Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scarlett is back and better than ever. The reason why she has been kept away for so long is that I needed to wrap up Joan vs. Sonia, start the rivalry between Joan and Rita and start building and developing that. Plus Craven's feud with Tom. Now everything is falling into place, It's the perfect time to bring Scarlett back into the story

" I'm so bored. There's nothing fun to do around here" Scarlett complained as she sat on her bed inside her cell, resting her head on top of her hands

Ever since her arrival to Wentworth, Scarlett Craven had kept a low profile. She learned everyone's name, seeing how the system of the Top Dog works, the screws and the harsh rules that have been forced by her own father

Since everyone is afraid of Ferguson and not wanting to speak out of turn, no one has complained or targeted Scarlett for being Craven's daughter and an excuse to take their frustrations out on her. It didn't bother Scarlett though because even if she was being picked on, it wouldn't take long to put her peers in their place

Scarlett may be Craven's daughter, but that doesn't mean she is a total pushover. If push came to shove, she has no problems stepping in the ring to defend herself or come up with a twisted scheme to get back at her detractors 

If she wanted to, Scarlett could have easily caused a riot and make herself a contender for the role of Top Dog, but she didn't. She made a promise to Craven, she would stay out of trouble and not piss off the Freak

However, due to how dull things were in the general population are with the prisoners being scared and looking like mindless zombies, Scarlett might be forced to go back on her promise and cause a scene to shake things up

Plus after reuniting with Craven for the first time in five years, she's hardly seen him. Even when he had promised to visit her the day after arriving, Craven was nowhere to be seen. So much for reconnecting with him

The door to her cell opened and standing in her doorway is Ferguson 

Scarlett slightly tilted her head towards her right " You're supposed to knock first. For a woman of your age, you have bad manners" 

Ferguson entered Scarlett's cell " You don't make the rules around here. I do. I'm in charge of this entire prison and If I want to enter an inmate's cell, I will" she stated 

" Whatever" Scarlett tilted her head back and looked up at the ceiling " So what do you want?"

Ferguson closed the door and stared coldly at this little punk " Sit up and look at me" she hated when people didn't give her eye contact when she was speaking to them 

It was highly rude and it didn't matter if Scarlett was Craven's daughter, if Ferguson had to teach her a lesson in respect, even going as far as to have her bashed or hands burned, she will do it

Scarlett decided to get smart with Ferguson " I can speak and listen to you just fine with the way I am. After all, you're the one that came in here looking for me. Not the other way around"

She wasn't at all impressed with Ferguson throwing her weight around, just because she's the Top Dog and has supposedly done terrible things to everyone in this stinking joint

Ferguson kept her cold gaze on Scarlett with one hand clenched into a fist " I will not say this for the third time. Sit up....now!" she commanded

Scarlett tilted her head back to the Freak " Ok ok chill. Don't get your panties in a twist" grinning at Ferguson 

She sits upright and turned to face Ferguson with her back pressed against the wall. Still grinning, Scarlett decided to push Ferguson's buttons a little further

" Where are my manners. Would you like a drink? Unfortunately, I'm all out of vodka and tequila, but I could make you a cup of tea. Only thing is we have to go outside"

Ferguson avoided Scarlett's bait " You're not going to last very long in here if you keep up this childish and immature behavior, and I'm not talking about being in the general population," she said coldly

" Is that a threat, Joan?" Scarlett's grin faded " I don't like that kind of talk. Now just stop it, it upsets me" pointing her index finger at Ferguson

Ferguson is using all of her willpower to not snap Scarlett's neck " Already you've proven to be a nuisance with my crew in regards to Logan and Widmore"

She has never met anyone so disrespectful towards her and having the nerve to treat her like a joke. Like someone that shouldn't be feared, respected or to be concerned with 

Scarlett held up her arms incredulously " All I did was compliment Rebecca's ass. It's tight and nice to look at. If Raven thought I was coming onto her... " she bends two fingers on both hands to mock Raven's relationship with Rebecca " Girlfriend or being a sexual predator. That's her own fault"

" I'm not a sexual predator and I'm not interested in stealing Rebecca away from her. I'm just a nice woman who likes to give compliments"

Ferguson decided to use the memory of Juice Gambro in attempt to intimidate Scarlett and put her in place " Good because the last person who was a sexual predator, had her tongue decapitated....by yours truly. I could easily do the same to you, right now. Make sure you keep that mouth of yours shut"

Scarlett gave Ferguson a sad look" That's not very nice" she then nodded slightly " Yeah! I heard about that story. That fatso was running wild and no one did a thing to stop her. Until you came along" she replied

" You had the guts to do something that no one else was prepared to do. For fuck sake, the Governor did nothing to protect you guys. Apparently, after that incident, Juice had killed herself because the thought of coming back to you, made her shit her pants"

Scarlett gives Ferguson a thumbs up " Kudos to you, Joan. I mean that. Really. You are a hero and you deserve to be Top Dog. I tell you what...." she grinned " You apologize for saying those horrible things to me and in return...." paused for a brief moment " I won't step out of line and if you need my help.......I'm there," she said half sincerely

She raises her hand in salute " Scouts honor"

Ferguson easily deduced Scarlett wasn't going to keep her word " Consider this your final warning. Any more and I will not be responsible for my actions......or Logan's when she returns from the hospital"

She turned around, opened the door, stands in the doorway and tilted her back to the troublemaker " Put in a request with your father to have you transferred to a different unit" she then left Scarlett's cell 

Scarlett pulled the fingers at Ferguson " Fuck you" she muttered quietly

" Oi, Ferguson. Where's Craven?" Ms. Miles asked as entered H5

Ferguson turned to Ms. Miles " In her cell being an immature child" she answered before heading into her own cell 

Scarlett frowned after hearing what Ferguson called her

Ms. Miles walked over to Scarlett's cell and stood in the doorway " Your father wants to see you"

" Really?" Scarlett raised an eyebrow " If he wants to see me, he knows where I am" she replied

Ms. Miles gave Scarlett a stern look" Don't give me attitude Scarlett, I'm not in the mood" 

Scarlett laughed " I'm just fucking with ya" she stands up and glances at Ferguson's cell " After having a boring conversation with grandma, visiting my dad is just what I need"

She left her cell, her unit and followed Ms. Miles all the way over to Craven's office. Truth be told, Scarlett is actually pleased to be visiting him again, it would give them a chance to bond to make up for lost time and see how her mother is doing 

Ten minutes later, Scarlett and Ms. Miles arrive outside Craven's office. Scarlett sees Craven through the window beside the door jotting down notes in a file

Ms. Miles knocked on Craven's door and opened it " Your daughter here to see you, Governor" she told him

Craven didn't look up at Ms. Miles " Thank you, send her in"

Ms. Miles tilted her head to her left " In you go" she said to Scarlett

Scarlett walked past Ms. Miles and entered the room " Well this is an unexpected pleasure, daddy. Long time no see" she pulls out a chair, sits down and placed her feet on the side of Craven's desk

She folded her arms " Quite frankly, I'm a little hurt. Especially after we made up, given our last encounter before both we landed in here" she said sarcastically

Ms. Miles closed the door to give Scarlett and Craven their privacy 

Craven lifted his eyes to see Scarlett's feet on his table " Feet off the table" he then resumed finishing off writing the last paragraph in a report 

Scarlett smiled " Say the magic word first"

Craven dropped his pen, closed the file and places it in the cabinet behind him " I could easily send you back to your unit or better worse put you in solitary" refusing to play Scarlett's games 

After his encounter with Tom and knowing that he won't stop his goal to expose him, Craven is going to enlist help from Scarlett to stop Tom, dead in his tracks. Scarlett is the only person, Craven can trust with this plan, he has conjured up inside his devious mind

Plus given his history with bailing Scarlett out of trouble, it should be a piece of cake to work her magic on Tom 

Scarlett sighed " Fine!" she takes her feet down from the table 

Craven gave his daughter a remorseful look " I am truly sorry that I have not been able to see you earlier, but you should know that with my job. I have a lot of responsibilities on my plate that has prevented from me seeing you much earlier than I would have liked"

He clasped his hands together on his desk " But you're here now and that's all that matters " he smiled

" I also thank you for not getting yourself into trouble upon your arrival. This place is very different compared to the outside world" Craven shrugs " I can't say that I'm not surprised because you have this nack of defying authority at times" he said in almost disbelief 

" You have this tendency to create chaos everywhere you go and piss people off. I'm glad you've kept your word about not angering Ferguson either. You do not want her on your case"

Scarlett looked away from her father briefly " Yeah!! about that. I think I may have pissed her off just now" she confessed 

Craven narrowed his eyes at her " What?"

" It's not my fault" Scarlett met Craven's gaze " She barged into my cell and throwing her weight around. Threatening me, calling me names. All I did was compliment a women's butt for fuck sake" she said in frustration 

Craven frowned " How can you be so stupid? Huh? We all know you did more than just compliment whoever's butt. You purposely step on people's toes and forced to get a reaction out of them, just because your bored or basically want to have fun that completely defies law and order"

" I fucking told you to not piss her off. She and I have an arrangement that has benefited everyone in this prison. The women are doing exactly as I say, there haven't been incidents of a drug overdose or drug use at all. No deaths. Except for a few fights, but still" Craven snapped

Scarlett glared at her father " For your information, I apologized to Ferguson for my behavior and promised to never anger her again or her mates. If you're going to be like this, I'm out" she stands up and made her way over towards the door

" Wait!"

Scarlett stopped as she placed her hand on the doorknob

" I'm sorry for snapping at you, pumpkin. I just have a lot on my plate at the moment and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. Come back"

Scarlett remained standing with her back turned " Only if you promise to treat me like a normal human being and not a retard that you'd rather disown and claim I'm not related to you. For too long I've put up with that shit and trying to please you, but never getting anywhere. Always on the front end of your violent outbursts and insults. It's the reason why we stopped seeing each other for five years" she fought back the urge to cry

She thinks back to those times whenever she tried to please and meet Craven's expectations, it would never be good enough and would be called such vile names. Like any other daughter, all Scarlett wanted was for her father to accept and love her unconditionally 

Craven nodded " I promise and I am truly sorry, baby. For everything. All I wanted for you is to have the best life possible and endless opportunities to make something of yourself. I pushed you to be at your best and there may have been times I have crossed the line. Please, don't go"

" Ok" Scarlett nodded as she turned around to face Craven " Consider this your final warning" remembering what Ferguson said to her earlier

She returned to her original seat and sat down with her arms folded across her chest

Craven takes a deep breath " While this is indeed a catch-up, I had brought you here for something else. Something that I need your help with" he said softly 

Scarlett raised an eyebrow " With what?"

" I don't suppose you know Mr. Shepherd by any chance?" Craven asked 

Scarlett said nothing but nodded in reply

Craven clasped his hands together again " Well apparently Mr. Shepherd is jealous of my position and is going around making false accusations about me, so he can get me fired and take my place" he pretends to look concerned and worried 

" Why is he jealous and what accusations?" Scarlett asked curiously

Craven shrugs his shoulders " I don't know. I tried asking why he hated me so much, but he wouldn't tell me. From what I'm getting at, he's a man that is power hungry. A man who has been in the shadows of someone better than him all his life and he's now tired of playing second fiddle. He wants to be in charge. As for the accusations, Mr. Shepherd claims I don't care about the women, I manipulated one to turn against her friends and vice versa which resulted in two deaths and Ferguson rising to the top"

" I...I threatened to expose him to the board, but he said he has contacts that will keep him where he is and if he can convince the women and maybe one or two of my colleagues, they will make him the Governor" Craven lied

Scarlett frowned at this development " Seriously? I know your an asshole at times, but everyone knows you do care about us. Sure your methods are unorthodox, but you wouldn't have become the Governor of any prison if you didn't care. What about the police? Did you go to them?"

She now feels nothing but hate and anger towards Tom for picking on Craven and trying to get him fired 

Craven shrugs " No evidence. It's all hearsay at the moment. Tom has tried manipulating Franky Doyle, but I quickly set the record straight. I'm afraid he'll continue until he has enough to bring me down" playing off the classic terrified father and Governor facade

" I don't deserve your help after the way I've treated you and the things I've said to you. But I don't know what to do. I'm really concerned, Scarlett. What if he targets your mother"

Scarlett could feel her blood boiling with rage " I'll cut his fucking dick off before he has a chance to lay a finger on mum. No one messes with our family and gets away with it" she snarled

Craven shakes his head " Maybe this is a bad idea. What if you get hurt? I wouldn't be able to live with myself" 

" Hey" Scarlett unfolded her arms and used one hand to grab her father's hands " Nothing is going to happen to me. Not if we play this smart. I promise you and I really mean this. I will stop acting up and I will do whatever it takes to help you take that son of a bitch down" she said determinedly

Craven smiled at his daughter and gently held squeezed her hand " Thank you, pumpkin. You don't know how much this means to me"

Scarlett smiled back " No problem. Families stick together, no matter what" she replied


	26. Nightmares And Vibes

Heavy breathing. Heart pounding. The sound of running footsteps echoing from corridor to corridor

Kim Chang ran as fast as she could down the empty corridors of Wentworth prison, she knows if she stops the monster who has been terrorizing her for over a week will find and most likely kill her

She ran down the next corridor, rushes towards the strip search room, swings the door wide open, goes inside and quietly closes the door so the monster can't pinpoint her exact location. Kim slumps down to the hard cold floor to regain her breath 

"Where the hell is everyone?" Kim asked 

It did seem certainly odd that she was the only one running around in Wentworth, considering the fact it was against the rules to run anywhere and if you did, you'd either be let off with a warning or be sent to the slot

So why was she the only prisoner left behind? Where're the prisoners and where are the screws? Why does Kim have to deal with this monster on her own?

These were the questions Kim was asking herself as she was regaining her breath

Did everyone transfer to a different person and left her behind? It certainly seemed that way

Just when Kim thought she was safe from this monster that is chasing her, she hears a dark voice calling to her

" Kim ......Kim...... you can't hide from me"

A sinister chuckle echoed in the strip search room as a dark cloud appeared right in front of Kim's very eyes with the dark cloud beginning to take shape 

Kim's eyes widened in horror as the dark cloud and the monster that had been chasing her is none other than the evil Governor who has been terrorizing her in the slot for a week, Ernest Craven 

Craven took a step forward to Kim " Give it up, Chang. It's time for another session in rehabilitation" he grinned at her 

Kim screamed at him " NO!!" She stands up, swings the door wide open and began running once again " STAY AWAY FROM ME, PSYCHO"

She ran and ran and ran down the corridors looking for another safe place to hide inside the empty prison. Kim had to get away from Craven before he can put his hands on her again because she feels that sooner or later, Craven will end up bashing her to death

Why her? What did she possibly do to deserve such cruelty

" You can't run from me" Craven's voice followed Kim 

Kim turned down the next corridor which leads to a stairwell but before she could make it, Craven appeared in front of her once again with that horrible sadistic grin on his face and blocked Kim from going up the stairs

" STAY AWAY" Kim yelled with tears building in her eyes

Craven laughed as he slowly approached his prey, as a hunter would when his prey is cornered and can't find anywhere to make a quick escape

" You disgusting vile prisoner. You deserve to be punished for your crimes against humanity and undermining my authority. Justice always prevails" the despot's voice boomed while getting closer and closer to Kim

Kim turns around but sees another Craven standing behind her

" It's already over" Craven announced

Just when Kim thought all hope was lost, she sees a crowbar placed right beside her on the ground and as odd as it was since Kim never saw it before, she grabs it and uses it to strike down both Cravens and dashed towards the stairwell

She didn't know why she didn't see the crowbar before but she wasn't complaining since it bought Kim extra time to escape. Wanting to get as far away as possible from Craven, Kim ran up a few flights of stairs that will lead her straight to the balcony and a chance to leave Wentworth for good

But before Kim could reach the top floor, Craven blocks her path once again. Kim turned around and saw another Craven standing behind her, she swings the crowbar at Craven but it didn't faze or hurt him in the slightest. In fact, the crowbar went through his body

"What!" Kim said in disbelief as she turned back to the front and saw multiple Cravens standing in front and around her 

Craven wrapped his hands around Kim's throat and began to choke the life out of her with a big grin printed across his face 

Kim sat upright in her cell inside the slot with a cold sweat on her forehead. It was another nightmare that recurred on a regular basis after she gets beaten to a pulp every night by Craven down in the basement of Wentworth

She hears a " click" in the door 

The door opens and the real Ernest Craven stood in the doorway 

" Good morning, Ms. Chang. Had a good sleep?" Craven smiled as he stepped inside the cell 

Kim said nothing but nodded in reply, even now she can feel her heart pounding with fear, whenever Craven stepped inside the cell or even smiled at her. She is truly terrified of this man 

Craven assessed Kim's body and was satisfied that most of the bruising he had inflicted on her, especially around her eyes have healed up quite nicely. It didn't matter if Kim had bruises around her stomach, chest or her back because no one will suspect anything, it's only on her face that truly counts

After a week of constantly taking Kim down to the basement and beating her to a pulp, Craven is satisfied that he has made Kim see the error of her ways and got what she truly deserved 

" Today is your lucky day, I'm releasing you along with Widmore and Connors back into the general population"

Craven takes another step towards Kim to intimidate her into silence " I trust that you'll be on your best behavior from now on and won't discuss our ......sessions" his dark brown eyes narrowing her

Kim nodded again " I've learned my lesson, Governor Craven. I won't do anything to upset you ever again"

She just wanted to return to her cell, bury her head on her pillow and cries her eyes out until she couldn't cry anymore

Craven grinned " I'm very glad to hear that" he tilted his head towards his right " Off you go then" 

" Thank you, Governor" Kim hops off the bed, takes one last look at Craven before she moved past him and is escorted back to the general population by a female screw

Craven sighed happily because he truly believes what he is doing is for the good of society and giving these rotten criminals the punishment they rightfully deserve

With Rebecca and Kim now released into the general population, Craven now makes his way out of Kim's cell and towards Rita Connors's cell which is located at the very end of the unit. Craven heard about Rita's little speech she made towards Ferguson in laundry that broke out into a fight between her and Rebecca 

He knew from the day he had first laid eyes on her, Rita would be trouble and could pose a threat to his and Ferguson's utopia. It was just only a matter of time before Rita shows her true colours to everyone

However, at this stage, Craven feels Rita isn't a major threat and has full confidence in Ferguson's abilities to either keep Rita under her control or dispose of Rita in the same matter as Kaz Proctor and Allie Novak

But to be sure, Craven is going to attempt to put doubt into Rita's mind and convince her that going against Ferguson would be pointless and suicidal 

Craven stands outside Rita's cell, places the key in the lock and turned it long enough to hear a "Click" before taking the key out and opening the door 

Rita, who was sitting on her bed patiently, stands up to see Craven appearing in the doorway 

" Good morning, Rita. I bet your very eager to return to general and plan your next attack against the Freak. Aren't you?" Craven assumed as he folded his arms 

Rita nodded " Yeah something like that. So can I leave now? As much as I enjoyed the peace and quiet, I'd rather return to my unit and be with my friends"

She's waited long enough in the slot, she needed to be back to check in on Nicole and the others before making her next move 

Craven raised an eyebrow " Do you think this is a good idea? Going against Ferguson? It's been proven time and time again she's unbeatable. Many people have tried but" shrugs his shoulders " They always fail in the end" he stated

Rita scoffed at Craven's comment " So much for the Governor looking after his prisoners"

She knows she's at a disadvantage and won't have support from anyone, but that is not going to stop Rita from stepping up and be the Top Dog that these women desperately need

Where there's a will there's a way 

" Real nice"

Craven looked towards his left before grabbing the doorknob and closing the door behind him, so none of his other colleagues that were supervising the slot could listen to his conversation with Rita

" I'm being realistic here!" Craven said as he turned to face Rita again " So many people have tried and very few have succeeded. But Ferguson always comes back stronger, smarter and deadlier, she isn't a woman you would want as an enemy. I don't like her anymore than you do, but Ferguson is willing to do things that you can't

Rita said nothing 

Craven kept his stern gaze on Rita " Bea Smith, a well known and popular inmate managed to expose Ferguson and made her a prisoner shortly before she died by Ferguson's hand. Allie Novak, Bea Smith's lover, organized Ferguson to be buried alive with alleged help from both Will Jackson and Jake Stewart. Two officers that had been drawn into Ferguson's web. What happened to them?" he asked Rita

" Novak died and both Stewart and Jackson went AWOL. But it is more than likely, Ferguson had them killed before she returned"

Rita met Craven's gaze but said nothing because she felt there was more the Governor wanted to say to her 

" Ferguson doesn't have to kill you, Connors. She can, but she would rather attack you on a psychological level at first. Attack those you care about, turn them against you, maybe even kill them, before she decides to finish you off" Craven said so he could plant the seed of doubt in this fearless inmate's head

As Rita listened to Craven's speech about what happens to those that dared to challenge the Freak, she felt werid vibes from this man. She understands the consequences of what could happen to her, but it sounded like Craven was supporting Ferguson more than hating her as he claimed to have felt 

Whenever she gets strange vibes from someone, it told Rita that person can't be trusted and they are not really the person they have portrayed themselves to be

" Thank you, Governor"

Craven nodded " You're welcome. I know it's horrible what she's doing, but there's nothing you or I could do about it"

Rita shakes her head " No it's not about that" she replied 

" Then what is it?" Craven raised an eyebrow

Rita stared at Craven " You've given me every reason to go through with my decision to take that Freak down. I had doubts, but you've assured me that I'm doing the right thing. I don't care how long it takes, I will bring Ferguson to her knees and break her both in body and spirit" she said fiercely 

Craven could now see there was nothing he could do to change Rita's mind, so he offers her an encouraging smile " Good luck, Connors. You'll need it and hopefully, you'll succeed where others have failed"

He grabbed the doorknob and opened the door again 

Rita smirked at him " Don't worry Governor, I tend to do just that" she walked past Craven and gets escorted back to her unit


	27. Partners

Once she returned to the general population, Rita Connors started making her own way back to her unit, since the screw that escorted her from the slot felt that Rita has been around long enough to know her own way back

As Rita made her way over to H1, she is met with smiles and cheers from the other prisoners that were nearby

" Rita The Beater" A blonde inmate proudly proclaimed as she gave Rita a wink and a thumbs up 

" Good to have you back, Rit," Another inmate said with a smile

" Take that Freak down!" A brunette inmate said as she held her hand up for a high five

Rita meets the inmate's gesture and high fives her before turning down the next corridor. She was a little taken back by the support she had gotten from her peers. Quite honestly, Rita wasn't expecting anything once she had been released the slot, but she didn't mind being greeted as their hero 

However, Rita knew that her warm welcome would not last long and if she asked any of her peers to help her in her cause to take the Freak down, she would not get it. So Rita figured she might as well enjoy it while it lasts

" Welcome back to the land of the living"

Rita looked up to see Ferguson and the Freaks with the exception of Raven of course, who were about to cross paths with her from the opposite end of the corridor 

" Good to be back" Rita replied

Time stood still as the two titans locked eyes with one another, preparing themselves for what's about to come their way and who will be the one to make their next move

Ferguson kept her gaze on Rita " What makes you think, you'll be the one to do what can't be done? Many have tried and many have failed. Even as I look at you right now, you remind me of the only inmate who was truly worthy as an adversary and being in my presence. But even she, fell in the end" referring to Bea Smith

Truth be told, she is actually looking forward to seeing where their rivalry will take them. It would remind Ferguson there will always be someone to stand in her way and it's her job to take them out after learning of their full potential 

" And If you think what happened in laundry was over between you and me, think again" Rebecca interjected

Rita ignored Rebecca by smirking at Ferguson " Nothing lasts forever, Joan. Nothing"

" If I fail, there will always be someone to take my place. Hell! maybe after I fall, I will inspire the women to turn against you and do to you what the Romans did to Julius Caesar"

Ferguson scoffed " Very unlikely. These women deserve to have their lives be controlled by me because, without my presence, they are nothing but filthy vile untamed animals. They need me to run their lives so they can be productive" smirking at Rita and clearly enjoying their banter

Rita smiles and shakes her head in disbelief" You are unbelievable, Joan. The arrogance, the narcissism"

Ferguson's smirk faded " You'll die as a martyr then," she said before moving past Rita 

" See you around, Connors!" Ferguson said before disappearing down the corridor along with her crew 

Rita watched Ferguson and the Freaks leave " Hopefully not anytime soon" she then carries on with her journey back to H1

Four minutes later, Rita finally arrived outside her unit. She sees Liz and Nicole talking at the table drinking their coffee or tea, while Boomer was on the couch eating a packet of Montie Carlo's biscuits

Rita smiled before walking into her unit and announcing her return 

" Honey, I'm home"

Liz, Nicole, and Boomer all looked towards Rita 

" Hi love, welcome back" Liz smiled at her friend 

Rita smiled back as she approached the table " It's good to be back. I can't tell you enough how glad I am to be back here. Being in the slot was super boring" she paused for a moment " But it did give me time to think"

Nicole raised an eyebrow " Are you backing out on taking Ferguson on? If so nobody would blame you" she said sympathetically 

Rita smiled and shook her head " No no I'm still going through with it. What I meant is that I had time to think about my next move. In fact, I bumped into Ferguson and her crew on my way here"

" Seriously?" Nicole asked surprisingly

Rita nodded " We had a good catch up and Rebecca is back as well. Which leaves me wondering" she turned to Liz " Has Ferguson done anything during my time in the slot? It's clear that she hasn't gone after any of you, but considering I'm public enemy number one in her eyes. I wouldn't put it past her to come up with something to discredit me"

Liz shakes her head " No, it's been pretty much the same before you challenged Ferguson. Quiet and dull"

" But that's not all" Nicole added 

Rita raised an eyebrow " Oh?" looking back to the woman who she viewed as a friend and a little sister

Nicole smiled " After your fights with Raven and Rebecca, everyone around here as called you - Rita The Beater" she explained

" Fucking kickass nickname too aye" Boomer commented from the couch before biting into her biscuit

Liz looked at Rita " It's quite an achievement, not many newbies get given a nickname after spending the first few weeks in here. You'd have to earn the women's respect to be given a nickname and after that little speech in laundry, it didn't take long for you to win the women over" 

She then snapped her fingers remembering Mel's message for Rita " Also there's an inmate by the name of Mel Barrett, who would like to meet you over in H3" Liz informed

Rita shrugs her shoulders " What for?"

" Mel said you'd ask, so she told us to tell you that you and she have a certain enemy in common that needs to be taken down" Nicole gave Rita a wink to know who that enemy was

Rita easily deduced who the enemy was and is quite surprised to learn that she may have support in her bid to take Ferguson down after all. She figured no one would come near and lend her a hand, but this woman named Mel has raised her hand

She nodded in satisfaction " Cool. I suppose I better go over and meet her" she said with a smile " I'll catch up with you guys soon"

As she turned around and started to leave H1, Rita heard Liz mention who Mel was to her 

" Mel is one of the good ones, Rita. If you have any doubts about whether or not you can trust her, you can. If there's anyone else that hates Ferguson besides from Bea, Allie, Kaz, and Franky.." she said sadly at the thought of Franky being in Ferguson's crew

When Boomer heard Franky's name being mentioned, she frowned and tuned out of the conversation since she was still hurt by Franky's betrayal and cowardice

" Mel is the only other person who truly despises Ferguson and she leads a group known as the Red Right Hand that protects young and vulnerable women which were originally formed by Kaz Proctor before her demise. So to have Mel, plus help from the Red Right Hand is a huge bonus" Liz informed

Rita tilted her head back to glance at Liz " Much appreciated, Liz. Thank you" she then carried on walking out from her unit and headed down the corridors once again

" Rita The Beater" Rita said repeatedly to herself

She smiled and nodded with acceptance at her chosen nickname because each time she repeated it over and over, it grew on her and it had a nice catch to it as well

It was a nice surprise to hear that someone actually wanted to help her take the Freak down, Rita understood why no one bothered due to Ferguson's terrifying influence over them and had no problems going at it alone 

But Rita is pleased to have an ally in her cause

After turning down a few corridors and having the screws using their swipe cards to allow Rita access a few doors, she now finds herself standing outside of H3. Rita sees Mel Barrett, Soz and Snortz sitting together at the table, they waited patiently for Rita to come to them after receiving word of her release from the slot 

Mel noticed Rita standing at the entrance of her unit " Hello, Rita"

Rita entered H3 " Hey," she said as she made her way over to the table 

Mel pointed to the seat in front of Rita " Please sit down" acting as if she was the leader of a mafia who needed to have a sit down with one of her peers

" Don't mind If I do" Rita smiled briefly before pulling out the chair and sat down 

Not one to beat around the bush especially when it's a possibility of taking Ferguson down and avenging her friends, Mel gets straight to the point with her potential new ally 

" Alright, let's cut to the chase. I heard your little stunt with Ferguson the other day in laundry that resulted in a fight with that little punk" she said with disdain for Rebecca " And being sent to the slot. Impressive! Not many have the balls to stand up to Ferguson and take out one of her members in her crew. Which is why I think it would be in your best interest to accept my proposal for an alliance. You're going to need all the help you can get in taking the Freak out"

Rita scoffed " In my best interest? What is that? A Threat?" raising an eyebrow

Mel shook her head " No! Absolutely not. I'm just saying it would be very unwise to challenge Ferguson on your own. She took down five prisoners including my friend, Allie, during a fight in the yard for fuck sake. That woman is practically superhuman with a deadly combination of strength and intelligence"

There were many times where Mel wanted to kill Ferguson, especially after the deaths of Allie and Kaz but she knew Ferguson would be expecting Mel and the Red Right Hand to attack and the best way to get revenge is to attack when the Freak least suspect it

Just like when Kaz had ordered Mel, Soz, and Snortz to attack Ferguson from behind by placing a shiv underneath Ferguson's neck and bounding her hands together before tying the Freak to a pole in the yard in a kangaroo court

Rita stared at Mel " Tell me something, Mel. If you hate Ferguson so much. Why haven't you or your friends here" briefly eyeing both Soz and Snortz " Haven't taken it upon yourselves to challenge, the Freak? 

" You have my condolences on the loss of your friends, but surely you would want payback"

Mel frowned " If I did that, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now. No!" shaking her head " Me, Soz and Snortz here, would be dead already. Don't you think we wanted payback? There's not a day that goes by since Ferguson became Top Dog again, we haven't thought about getting revenge" feeling offended by Rita's comment

" Then why haven't you?" Rita leaned forward a bit in her seat " I'm not trying to disrespect you or your friends, I'm just trying to understand why you have done nothing up until now. Why me?"

Rita could see through Mel's eyes how much she truly despised Ferguson and wanting to take revenge, but didn't understand why Mel hasn't done anything and just allowed the Freak to terrorize everyone

Soz stared at Rita " Because Ferguson would have expected a retaliation from the Red Right Hand after Kaz's death. If we did retaliate, it would be only a matter of time before we all died"

Snortz nodded in agreement " That's right. We didn't want to stand back and look the other way, but we had no choice. When Kaz died and Franky switching sides, the women had no one to look up to or rally behind. There was no one left. So instead of attacking directly, Mel thought it was best to fade in the background, observe the events and wait for an inmate with no prior history with Ferguson to step in. Sooner or later there was bound to be someone that wasn't going to stand for the Freak's twisted rules" she immediately captured Rita's full attention 

" I know how it sounds, waiting for an inmate. But we needed someone who we could work with to avenge our friends and send Ferguson back to Hell for good" Snortz added

Mel kept her gaze on Rita " Which is where you come in. The women already look up to you, even if they are afraid to say it. They want you to be the one to put the Freak six feet underground. You've shown courage, strength, and determination. You've even given them hope. Which is something that the women haven't had for a very long time! We don't want the glory of killing Ferguson, we just want to avenge our friends and be a part of it"

Rita felt moved by what Mel, Soz, and Snortz had said to her and their feelings regarding Ferguson and their fallen friends. She was even more moved to hear that the prisoners have hope and looked to her as their savior and role model to battle against the psychotic Freak and her minions 

It strengthens her resolve to fight back

" I.......wow" Rita was at a loss for words " I had no idea everyone felt this strongly about me!" she said to the trio in front of her

Mel smiled at Rita " Trust me, Rita. We wouldn't be having this conversation right now if we didn't trust you and the women wouldn't have felt this way either if they weren't exactly sure. All I ask in return is to watch our backs. If you do that, we will look after you and your friends. Plus get some credit in taking Ferguson down"

" I don't know if I can kill Ferguson though" Rita looked to Mel " I have no problems in whooping her ass and overthrowing her. But to cross that line? From being a protector to a killer?" shaking her head

She hated Ferguson as much as anyone else in Wentworth, but Rita isn't so sure if taking another person's life is the right way to go about it 

Mel met Rita's gaze " Death is the only way, Rita. If you defeat Ferguson and take over, it will only be a matter of time before she steps out of the shadows and exacts her revenge to get back on top. Ferguson won't stop until she stops breathing. There will come a point where you will have to make a decision, otherwise, Ferguson will make it for you"

Rita sighed in frustration " If it comes down to it where I have no other choice, I will kill her. You have my word, Mel. But I want there to be other alternatives to ensure Ferguson can never again wreak havoc. There are other ways other than just murdering her, but If all else fails, she will die" she replied

Mel pulled back and quietly conversed with Soz and Snortz by whispering in their ears

Rita could see Soz and Snortz nodding their heads and whispering to Mel

Mel turned her attention back to Rita " We can accept that. So what do you say?" holding out her hand in front of Rita " Partners?"

Rita smiled and gladly shook Mel's hand 

" Partners"

Mel smiled back " I suppose you have a plan set up for the next attack?" she asked curiously 

" Actually no" Rita laughed " Except for taking out her crew one by one"

Mel grinned " That's ok, I have one. You started off great by getting the women to talk about you and declaring war on the Freak. But I have one better. Ferguson likes to attack her enemies on a psychological and emotional level, so we will give her a taste of her own medicine. I want Ferguson to feel the same pain as me and my friends have felt by losing a loved one, I want her to cry and feel her heart pounding, I want her to be stressed to the point where she can't think clearly in regards to her plans for us. How do we do that? You ask?" pausing for a moment

" Simple! We target her girlfriend, Vera Bennett"


	28. Surprise Vistor

Scarlett Craven sat alone up top on a picnic bench table in the main prison yard, her thoughts drift back to the conversation she had with her father two days ago on how they are going to take the vile Tom Shepherd down

 

*Flashback*

" What's the plan?" Scarlett curiously asked her father as she sat oppositely on her father's table 

Scarlett didn't care how unethical or twisted Craven's plan may be to bring that scum down. Tom has to pay for his crimes against the Craven family and pay he most certainly will. Plus this is also a perfect way to bring herself closer to her father and create a bond that can't be broken 

Craven clasped his hands together while sitting comfortably in his chair " The plan is to have you, Scarlett, befriend Mr. Shepherd. Get him to drop his guard, make him feel comfortable around you, force him to gain your trust. Do what you have to do. Open up to him, fill him in on our history. That'll be more than enough to gain him as a friend. We can't make room for any mistakes, pumpkin. We can't let Tom know that we are onto him or I have made you as my spy" he informed methodically

" Piece of cake" Scarlett smiled confidently and ensuring Craven she won't screw his plan up 

She then licked her lips " So! What happens after I've gained his trust? What happens in phase two? Do we frame him?" wanting to know the full details

Craven chuckled amusingly " All in due time, Scarlett. All in due time. Just concentrate on winning Mr. Shepherd over first"

" Oh come on" Scarlett frowned at her father " You can't just tell me half of the plan without revealing the other. You have to tell me" she demanded like a little child finishing one of her favorite books that ended on a cliffhanger

Craven grinned at Scarlett " Do as I ask first"

*Flashback ends*

 

Scarlett hated Craven for not revealing the full extent of his master plan for Tom, but she trusted his judgment and believed that whatever her father has planned, it must be something truly twisted and for it to truly work, Scarlett needed to do her part

She hated Tom. No! Scarlett despised Tom for creating lies and false accusations in order to get her father fired, just so that Tom could replace Craven as the next Governor of Wentworth

The nerve of this man. Scarlett had seen Tom once and the sight of him, made her blood boil with rage. She had to fight the temptation of attacking him because if Scarlett were to do that, she would be in the Slot by now and Craven would most likely be very disappointed and cut her off from the family

Instead of acting on her impulses, Scarlett would use her smarts and play the long game. She's very good at tricking people into gaining her trust if she didn't like that person or believed that person could be useful to whatever agenda she had at the time

Plus being given Craven's blessing to reveal the extent of their relationship to Tom will be more than enough to get Tom onside and have him totally unaware of the final twisted scheme Craven has conducted for him 

Scarlett couldn't wait to see the stupid look on Tom's face when he realizes that he has been played by her and Craven, and will be brought to justice for his crimes

" All in due time" Scarlett recited her father's last words

Without even realizing it, the devious inmate smiled in delight or the fact that Nicole Linus had appeared in front of her

" Oh boy, If I know that smile, that means someone isn't up to any good"

" Huh?" Scarlett snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Nicole 

Nicole smiled at Scarlett " That grin you just had. Either your grinning because your mad or you have something planned. I should know, I've had those with my parents"

Scarlett smiled back " Well I was thinking of a way to escape from this awful place" she joked

" Any luck?" Nicole asked

Scarlett nodded " Yep! I'll ask my father for starters and if that doesn't work.....I'll just fake an illness or start a riot" she laughed

Nicole smiled " Sounds like you've got it all figured out" playing along 

" Not really! I need an accomplice for my plan to work. Interested?" Scarlett raised an eyebrow

Nicole nodded " I'm in" raising her hand

The two inmates shared a humorous laugh together

Still grinning Scarlett asked the young inmate " So does my new partner in crime have a name?"

Nicole grinned back " Nicole but you can call me Nikki if you like. Rita and the others around here seem to call me that" she stated as she went to sit next to Scarlett

Scarlett scooted over so Nicole had room to sit " Rita! Isn't she the chick that gutted Raven Logan like a fish and sent her to the hospital? The same chick that challenged grandma for Top Dog?" she asked Nicole just to be sure they were speaking about the same woman"

" The very one" Nicole confirmed sitting next to Scarlett up top of the picnic bench table

Scarlett nodded " Good luck to your friend. I'm Scarlett Craven, by the way, The Governor's daughter. The fuck up of the family" extending her hand in front of her potential new friend 

Nicole shakes Scarlett's hand " Nice to meet you and I doubt your a fuck up"

" It's true. Go ask daddy, he could write a book about the stupid shit I've done. You should have seen him when I arrived. Boy did I get an ear full. Mr. high and mighty" she said in a mocking tone

Scarlett's face fell " There have been many times where I've been called names or things that no parent should ever say to their child. Being made to think your completely worthless and an outcast" she now thinks back to those arguments with Craven and how it emotionally affected her 

Judging by the look on Scarlett's face, Nicole could tell that Scarlett has been emotionally scarred by her unhealthy relationship with her own father and the pain in Scarlett's voice when telling Nicole about it

It saddened Nicole to hear that the Governor would treat his own daughter like a piece of shit and make her feel completely worthless about herself. Luckily for Nicole, she had a healthy and loving relationship with both of her parents and would never have to worry about receiving any abuse from them 

Scarlett tilted her head to Nicole and smiled at her " But that's all in the past now. We've started over and I've given him a clear warning to never hurt me again or I'm done" she said half convincingly

She is trying to convince herself more than Nicole about her ultimatum to Craven. Scarlett had to stay strong and firm, but the very presence of her father and the history they've shared outweighs Scarlett's resolve

Nicole didn't believe Scarlett but she chooses not to question or make Scarlett more upset about it than she already is. Instead, Nicole decided to change the topic in order to lighten the mood

" So what are you in for? Robbing a bank like Rita?"

Scarlett smirked at Nicole " For trying to become the next Heisenberg" rolling her eyes " Minus the chemistry" she confessed

" Heisenberg!" Nicole thought about the name for a moment because it sounded very familiar to her

" Heisenberg. Heisenberg. That name is familiar" Nicole starts randomly clicking her fingers as a way of trying to find the answer to her own question

A lightbulb goes off in the young inmate's head which caused her to smile " Oh yeah" meeting Scarlett's grinning gaze " Bryan Cranston. Breaking Bad"

Scarlett nodded " Correct. I take it you've seen the series from start to finish?" she asked 

Nicole smiled " Indeed I did, finished it before I landed myself in this joint. That show was fucking awesome. Heisenberg was a cool character but an asshole at times" brushing a lock of her hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ear

Scarlett grinned from ear to ear " I know right, it's my favorite show too. The way he had Gus killed in that nursing home was pure genius"

Just to hear from another inmate that has seen Breaking Bad and liked it as much as Scarlett did, pleased her to no end. Any thoughts of Craven or feelings of sadness have been replaced with happiness

Nicole smiled " That was badass. I never thought Walt would be able to pull it off because Gus was always like twenty steps ahead of him. But to place the man in front of Gus, who he hated more than Walt and to use that person as a bomb was insane" 

Scarlett smiled back " Indeed" she replied 

" Or what about Saul Goodman? Better Call Saul" Scarlett acted as the character of Saul Goodman by pointing two index fingers at Nicole

Nicole giggled " He was hilarious and my favorite character in the entire series"

" Same here. Although Heisenberg is still number one in my book" Scarlett grinned

Nicole smiled " So you were trying to be like him, except for making blue meth. Sounds to me you tried to be more like Gus than Heisenberg. Gus was the same, he distributed drugs on a national and global basis I think" getting back to the topic of how they ended up in Wentworth

Scarlett nodded " I suppose you can say that. Chemistry wasn't really my strong suit" shrugs her shoulders " Hell! Becoming a distributor in selling drugs wasn't my goal or plan in the first place. I fell in with the wrong crowd, had a boyfriend that was a drug dealer and showed me how easy money it was. Only thing is he was short-sighted and didn't think of the larger picture. I did" she then sighed " It was not to be"

She looked back to Nicole " What about you? What are you in for?" she asked

Nicole met Scarlett's gaze " DUI with a six-month sentence. I was banned from using my mum's car, but I didn't let that stop me and ended up totally ruining it, while under the influence" she explained to her new friend

" Ahhh. I see" Scarlett nodded "So you're little miss goody two shoes that everyone in here thinks you are" she teased

Nicole shakes her head " Certainly not. I can be bad when I want to be" 

Scarlett smirked " I bet"

From out the corner of her left eye, Scarlett sees her nemesis Tom Shepherd approaching her. Seeing Tom again already made the devious rebel furious, but she had to hide her true feelings if Scarlett is to be successful in befriending the officer

Scarlett can't afford to let Tom see her true colors or resentment until the time was right " Afternoon Mr. Shepherd" offering Tom a friendly smile and giving him her full attention 

Tom smiled at Scarlett and Nicole " Afternoon ladies. Enjoying yourselves?" making small talk 

Nicole nodded "Absolutely"

Scarlett kept her friendly gaze on Tom " What can we do for you? Something tells me your not here just to make small talk with us" easily deducing Tom's true motivations for appearing in front of her and Nicole 

She really wanted to knock this punk off his feet and kick him as hard as she could in the groin, but chooses to restrain herself and fight off her impulses 

Tom looked at Scarlett " You have a visitor, Craven" he announced

" Oh?" Scarlett raised an eyebrow " And who that might be? My lawyer or my ex?" she asked 

Tom shakes his head " It's your mother" 

Scarlett's eyes widen in shock "Seriously? She's here?" she had to be sure this was actually happening and not a dream 

It has been a long time since Scarlett has last seen her mother and unlike Craven, she and Lisa have a better relationship with each other. Although Lisa is entirely unaware of the cruel names Craven has given their daughter in the past, Scarlett would always choose to keep that a secret and makeup something else whenever she was feeling down 

Tom nodded in confirmation " She is"

" Well then" Scarlett turned to Nicole " It was great meeting you, Nikki. You're a pretty cool chick. See you later yeah?" hoping off the picnic bench table 

Nicole smiled at Scarlett " Totally and let me know how your visit with your mother goes"

Scarlett gave Nicole the thumbs up and an eye wink " I will. Bye for now" she turned around and followed Tom back inside the prison


	29. Sign Of Things To Come

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little tease of what's to come when this story is back full time at the start of the new year. I think this hiatus has done me good because It was so much fun writing this chapter again and making it feel organic with the dialogue. Chapter 30 will be posted either next week or the week before Christmas. Thank you to all those that have been waiting patiently for the next installment in this series

" So Mr. Shepherd, how long have you been here?" Scarlett asked her nemesis while she's being led down to the visiting center. She knows that in order to break the ice so to speak and to get Tom onside, she'd have to make small talk with him 

Scarlett also resisted her impulses of attacking and snapping Tom's neck for the attacking her father's reputation as best as she could. It was taking every inch of her fiber to hold herself back and not ruin Craven's plan for Tom

Tom briefly looked in Scarlett's direction " Long enough. How about you? How are you finding yourself in this place and being the Governor's daughter?" returning Scarlett's gesture for small talk and thinking nothing of it

" Honestly? " Scarlett met Tom's gaze " It's been pretty interesting so far. No one has gone out of their way to make my life miserable even though my father is pretty much a douchebag with a broomstick up his ass" she nodded " Yes. Yes! I do think what daddy is doing is completely wrong"

Scarlett and Tom turned down the next corridor which leads to an area where the prisoners were to wait until whoever was visiting them had arrived, signed the visitation book and waiting in the visiting center for them

" I even managed to piss off the Top Dog" Scarlett grinned proudly at her accomplishment " Grandma Fergy. Even if the women were to come after me, I can easily defend myself" she explained

Tom raised an eyebrow " Grandma Fergy?" turning to face Scarlett as they stood out by the door " You sure have a lot of guts to say that to her. Everyone around here is scared shitless of her and rightfully so"

Scarlett pulled a face to show she had no fear for the Freak " I ain't scared of that woman. It was actually pretty fun to push her buttons, knowing her attempts at intimidation had no effect on little 'ol' me" she said proudly

" You should be. You don't want her as an enemy, trust me on that. If you've heard the stories as I have, you wouldn't be so cocky. Just watch out, yeah" Tom said out of concern for this newbie who seemed to more likable and different compared to Craven

Scarlett placed her hand over her heart " A screw looking out for my best interest and actually cares about me? I'm touched" she smiled and lowered her hand " Don't worry about me, I've had my fun with Joan. Now I'm moving onto bigger and better things"

She gave Tom an eyewink, to show that she's moved onto taking him down for Craven and Tom is completely oblivious to it

" I hope so, Scarlett" Tom swiped his key and opened it for her

Scarlett entered the room and turned back to Tom " I enjoyed our little chat. Hope to do it again soon" offering her enemy a smile before turning around again 

Tom closes the door and wandered down the corridors once more 

It didn't take long for Scarlett to be called up and enter the actual visiting center, as she made her way in she immediately sees her mother, Lisa, standing up at the table at the back of the room smiling at her

Scarlett stormed her way over to her mother, threw her arms around, smiled and broke down into tears. This was the first time in five years, she had actually seen her mother face to face

Lisa embraced her daughter with a warm tight hug " Hey stranger, long time no see" she even felt herself tearing up at their reunion

It didn't matter to her they reunited in a prison, they were together again and that what was important to Lisa. In the past during Scarlett and Craven's falling out, the only way Lisa had maintained contact with her daughter is by phone calls, nothing else

" Hi mum" Scarlett looked up and smiled at her mother " I missed you so much" it didn't matter if she showed weakness to the other prisoners that were in the room. She was seeing her mother again for the first time in a long time 

Lisa smiled back " I missed you too, sweetie" wiping her tears away

" I can't believe your crying mum. I thought you were tougher than that" Scarlett teased as she started to wipe away her own tears

Lisa laughed " I'm not crying, I just have something in my eyes. You're the one that's crying, you crashed onto me" she teased back

" Fuck off. I tripped over something and didn't want to fall flat on my ass" Scarlett giggled " It's good to see you though. Really good. Holy shit! This is the best surprise I've had in a long time" she said happily

Lisa smiled back " Mine too and I wanted it to be a surprise. Well me and your father wanted it"

" Well, I'm glad. No! I'm thrilled" Scarlett pointed to the chair her mother was standing next to " Let's sit," she said before sitting down in her own chair

Lisa sat down and pulled her chair in closer " How are you two getting along? Your father said that the two of you have patched things up. Is that true?" she asked curiously

Despite not knowing the full extent of Craven's relationship with Scarlett and only knowing from what Craven has told her, Lisa understood that their fight was a long time coming and Scarlett was making wrong choices in life

" Mhmm" Scarlett nodded " Totally true. One hundred percent. Although when I arrived, things were awkward but after talking it through, we resolved our differences....finally"

Scarlett thought about bringing up her recent conversation with Craven that almost ended their relationship again, but just like the countless times where her father has been mean and called her names, she decided not to bring it up with her mother and pretend it never happened

" He accepts me for who I am and I accept him for who he is. Although it's a little different now, considering he's the Governor of this prison and there will be no special favors given. But I'm not expecting them anyway, I want to be treated like everyone else"

Lisa smiled at her daughter " How are things in here for you? Joan Ferguson isn't giving you any trouble is she?" she asked out of concern

"After reading the papers of her murdering that inmate and being brought back after escaping, that woman would have to be the most dangerous prisoner alive. And to think she was an ex-Governor of this prison"

Scarlett grinned " Funny you should say that. Dad placed me in the same unit as Ferguson and her cronies. Even the other prisoner that escaped, Franky Doyle, is in there too" she informed

" Your father did what?" Lisa raised an eyebrow " Doesn't he realize how dangerous that woman can be. Why on Earth would he do that?" frowning her face

Scarlett giggled at her mother's shocked and angered expression " Dad thinks I need friends in this place in order to survive and for me to be in Ferguson's unit and " holding up two fingers on both hands " Befriend her. I'd be ok" she explained

" And are you?" Lisa asked, wanting to know that her daughter is safe from the one they call the Freak 

Scarlett nodded " Absolutely. We are just peachy. Two peas in a pod"

Lisa sighed with relief " Good but stay away from that woman and don't get involved with anything she does. She could be capable of things that we know nothing about" she warned

At that moment Scarlett burst into laughter at her mother's naivety over Ferguson's history in Wentworth " Oh mum. You don't know the half of it. I heard all the stories of what she has done during her time as the Governor and prisoner in this place. No point in telling you because we'd be here till next Christmas and I don't want to worry you. But for the sake it, I will be staying away from her and not do anything to piss her off" she promised

Lisa nodded in satisfaction " Good! I worry about you enough as it is being in here. Speaking of which, why did you end up in here" she decided to change to the topic of why Scarlett ended up being a prisoner 

She already knew from what Craven had told her but Lisa wanted to hear Scarlett's side of the story and what led her to be imprisoned in Wentworth in the first place

" I tried to become the next Heisenberg in a sense. I know. It was dumb and foolish. Trust me, If I could turn back the clock, I would. It was easy money through" Scarlett admitted

Lisa gave her daughter a pitiful look " Oh honey. You have so much potential to do something worthwhile with your life. Wasn't it your dream to be a radio or TV personality host?"

" It was" Scarlett replied 

Scarlett still failed to give her mother true reasons why she ended up with a deadbeat boyfriend that led her on the path to becoming a drug dealer. In order to come up with an answer other than the fact that during that time where things between Scarlett and Craven weren't exactly great, she would tell her mother it's her life and she'll live it the way she wants

" I know I'm a fuck up, mum. Being in here realized how much I messed my life up and doing something I never thought I'd end up doing. But getting caught is the best thing that's ever happened to me. Wentworth is going to give me time to reevaluate myself for when I get out, plus it'll strengthen my bond with dad"

Lisa smiled warmly at her daughter " You're not a fuck up. You're not. Yes, you made some stupid decisions. But to hear that you've learned from your mistakes, wanting to start over and do better, makes me very proud of you" she said happily

" Thanks, Mum. That means a lot" Scarlett smiled back

Lisa then decided to ask the big question " How long are you in here for?"

" Six years" Scarlett answered " You're coming back right? On a regular basis?" hoping that was the case

Lisa nodded " Of course. You'd think after five years of not being able to see each other, I would throw this all away? Not a chance. I finally have my daughter back and my family"

" I know exactly how you feel. This is something I've been wanting for a very long time" Scarlett replied

Despite the wrong choices she made and her sentencing, Scarlett couldn't believe her luck when entering as a prisoner in Wentworth. She thought she would just come in and do her time. Not expecting to see her father running the joint and having the chance to put the past behind them for good

And now Scarlett has her mother again. She truly feels complete and whole again, no longer feeling like an outsider looking in

With what little time they had left before her mother had to go, Scarlett and Lisa reminisced on old times before things got to where they are in this point of time 

 

Elsewhere, Mel Barrett wondered down the corridors along with her trusted friends, Soz and Snortz, in search for Ms. Miles. Mel decided that tomorrow night is when the Red Right Hand will finally get their revenge on Ferguson by targeting Vera and helping Rita in her quest to overthrow the Freak 

Mel knew for a plan such as this, it had to require a considerable amount of time for strategic thinking since Ferguson has a crew at her disposal and when she's not with Vera, it's more than likely either Rebecca or perhaps Franky would protect Vera

But given the amount of fear Ferguson has placed in the general population, no one would dare to attempt or even so much as think about hurting the devious little mouse. Which will make that much easier for Mel and her girls to strike Vera without Ferguson being around, and using Ms. Miles to lure both Franky and Rebecca away as well

Ever since Rita had agreed to their alliance, Mel felt invigorated because finally after all these months and a two-year stretch, Ferguson is finally going to pay for her crimes committed not just to the Red Right Hand but for everyone the Freak has come in contact with in Wentworth

There won't be any second chances for Ferguson, no way back after this upcoming war and Mel hoped that when the time comes, Rita will find the strength to do what needs to be done

This is truly Wentworth's last chance in freeing themselves from the Freak because if Rita and Mel fail, they would immediately be sentenced to death by Ferguson's hand

Mel spotted Ms. Miles over by the stairwell " Ms. Miles"

Ms. Miles sees Mel and the Red Right Hand approaching her " What is it Barrett?" she asked

" I would like to make a deal and I'm prepared to quadruple your money for your little...." Mel stepped closer and whispered to the shady officer " Extracurricular activities"

Ms. Miles raises an eyebrow " What do you want?" already keen to take Mel's money 

" Tomorrow night after dinner, I need you to lure away Rebecca and Franky from H5 " Mel replied

Ms. Miles smirked, " You planning on challenging Ferguson by getting to Vera?"

" Yes and no. Me and my girls are going to beat the living shit out of Vera for siding with the Freak and to send a message to Ferguson that her days are numbered. Rita is looking to make her mark and take her place" Mel explained

Ms. Miles thought about Mel's offer for a moment and her now distant friendship with Vera. They used to be really close but that all changed when Ferguson had first arrived as Governor and when Vera became Governor herself, she did still care about Vera but that offer of always getting paid extra than she normally gets and using that to gamble with easily outweighed her eternal ethics and morals 

" Yeah go on then"

Mel smiled " Thank you, Ms. Miles. Expect to see that money the day after tomorrow" she turned around and headed back the way she same along with Soz and Snortz


	30. Ambush

After dinner was over, it didn't take long for Ferguson and Vera to lock themselves in Vera's cell and being intimate with one another. With another successful day of having complete control and keeping the inmates in line, despite talks of Rita challenging her, all Ferguson wanted now is to embrace her lover and put her twisted work aside for the night

It still didn't feel real to Ferguson to know not only does she have complete control over the prison, but is also able to have a girlfriend and to be allowed to feel her emotions in the safety of their cells and away from the public

Not once did Ferguson ever believe she would be able to find love again after losing Jianna, but she did in the form of her former Deputy Governor and successor, Vera Bennett. Aside from the urge of controlling all aspect in life, Vera meant everything to the Freak

Vera is very similar to Ferguson in terms of coming from a broken childhood and unloving parents. Both had been abused but were brought up differently, Ferguson was raised to be a soldier, while Vera was just emotionally and psychologically abused to the point where she had no self-esteem or confidence in herself

Which made it very easy for Ferguson to feel connected to Vera and having her feelings reciprocated. Two broken souls are drawn together from broken backgrounds. If anyone were to target Vera in order to get to the Freak, may the Lord have mercy on their souls

Ferguson will emotionally, psychologically and physically break whoever dared to hurt her soulmate. She'll prolong their miserable lives for as long as possible and make them beg for death 

She has power, fear, intimidation and a girlfriend. Some may say that Ferguson has found herself a friend in Raven and Rebecca as well. Ferguson truly has everything she could ever want for

" I love you, Joan Ferguson" Vera smiled as she laid her head on her girlfriend's shoulder

Ferguson smiled as she wrapped an arm tenderly around Vera and holding her close " I know you do"

Normally she would never allow anyone to touch her, lay their head on her shoulder or Ferguson herself touch them, but Vera was an exception. Vera is the only one that will ever touch and put her hands all over the Freak's sacred body

" Aren't you going to say it back?" Vera asked while enjoying her girlfriend's affection for her

Ferguson looked down at her lover " Why do I need to, Vera? I know for a fact you love me and I love you. I don't need to say it every five or ten seconds each day" she smirked

" HA! But you did say it" Vera removed her head from Ferguson's shoulder and grinned at her

" Tricked you good" the little mouse added before giving her girlfriend a soft kiss on the lips

Ferguson returned Vera's kiss

" How did I get so lucky? Anyone with common sense would turn and run in the opposite direction. Fear me. Loath me. Wishing death upon me. But you? You look past that, don't you Vera? Underneath this exterior, you see the real me" Ferguson looked into Vera's blue eyes 

To see and hear Ferguson acting humbly towards her was always a welcoming and comforting sight for Vera. Most of the time Ferguson acts as a superior being to everyone around her and a big bad demon that people perceived her to be

But when Ferguson is around Vera, especially now, she's a different person when they are alone together

Vera had the same loving look in her eyes " We're both lucky, Joan. We see each other for what we truly are. Just two souls looking for love and acceptance, and we have it. Although it had taken a long time to get to this point, better late than never"

She knew if Fletcher or Jackson were around to see her fall for the Freak and being consumed by her own darkness, they would both be disgusted and ashamed. Falling for a woman not only twice her age but the same woman that has caused so much misery and destruction to everyone that comes in contact with her

Ferguson is like cancer and once it spreads, it's too late stop it. You've been infected and the only thing you can do is to wait it out until you die or you manage to turn away and fight the infection off until it's completely gone

But Vera was done fighting her temptations and feelings for the Freak, she fought them for a very long time and was glad to know that Ferguson felt the same way about her. Even if it meant that Vera had to lose those she cared about, she would still stick by her woman no matter what

" Indeed, Vera" Ferguson smirked as she started to kiss the little mouse's neck softly and slowly

Vera pursed her lips together hard to contain a moan from the feel of Ferguson's lips on her small neck

Ferguson knew Vera is enjoying what she was doing, so she started to nibble and used her tongue to write her name 

" Mmmm Joan" Vera moaned

Ferguson move her lips up from Vera's neck towards her cheek and eventually her lips, she immediately felt Vera's lips locking into her own for a passionate kiss

The power couple embraced the other by holding them close while continuing to kiss each other softly and passionately. In brief moments, their moans escaped their lips as their hunger and lust grew stronger 

Ferguson decided to take it a step further by teasing the little mouse, she uses one hand to softly slide down from Vera's chest all the way to her pants. But Ferguson didn't stop there, she slid her hand into her lover's pants and panties, reaching for Vera's wet pussy

" Shit!" Vera moaned loudly at the feel of Ferguson's hand touching her privates

Ferguson smirked at her girlfriend " Someone has been a naughty little deputy" sliding two fingers up and down Vera's pussy lips that caused Vera to wiggle and fidget in her seat

Vera bit her lower lip " Yes Governor" wanting Ferguson to continue to pleasure her

" Getting wet in front of your Governor, Vera. I expected better from my deputy" Ferguson teased as she started to rub her girlfriend's pussy slowly and also using two of her fingers to run up and down the lips again

" Fuck...shit" Vera moaned softly and felt herself getting wetter 

Ferguson chuckled " A naughty Deputy such as yourself, deserves to be punished. I can't have an effective Deputy if she is all hot and bothered about me, now can I?" rubbing Vera's pussy slightly faster

Vera's body writhed and shook with pleasure " Yes Governor, I deserved to be punished for the naughty girl I am. Shit! keep going" she begged

Ferguson loved seeing Vera submissive to her, It was a greater feeling than just being in control of everyone's lives. To be in control in regards to a sexual and consensual nature over her partner is invigorating

She kissed Vera's neck and began to pick up the pace, she rubbed Vera's pussy faster and faster and then moved onto her clit

" Fuck! I'm close" Vera uttered

Just when Vera thought she would reach her climax, Ferguson intentionally slid her hand out from Vera's pants and leaving her with a shocked expression 

" Why did you stop?" Vera asked

Ferguson smirked at her " You seem to forget who's in control here, Vera. You're not done until I say you're done. We will continue this in the shower block"

Vera frowned " You'll pay for this," she said determinedly

Ferguson's smirk grew wider " We'll see about that. Won't we? gather your things and I'll meet you outside" she left Vera's cell and headed to her own cell to wash her hand and gather her belongings for the shower block 

Angered by Ferguson's tease, horny as fuck, and wanting to pay her back, the little mouse gathered most of her toiletries with the exception of her towel and met Ferguson outside of H5

The power couple left H5 and started making their way over to the shower block. Everywhere they went, every corridor they turned down, the prisoners that were around all parted and made way for Ferguson and Vera as if they were royalty

Vera loved it when her peers were forced to stop what they were doing and make space for her. While of course, this did happen when she was the Governor but being a prisoner alongside Ferguson was a much better feeling

The energy and aura Ferguson had of being superior to everyone else had started to rub off on the little mouse and she enjoyed every minute of it

Once they arrived outside of the shower block, Vera immediately realizes she forgot to bring her towel along with her

" Ugh! I forgot my towel" Vera cursed " I'll be back soon" mentally kicking herself by not bringing her towel and being consumed with lust

Ferguson nodded " Ok but don't be too long" 

She knew Vera would be safe on her own for a short trip from H5 and back to the shower block, since Ferguson has put enough fear into the prisoners that they have become afraid of their own shadow 

Vera smirked at Ferguson " I wouldn't dream of it" eye winking her girlfriend

She then quickly turned around and power walked her way back over to H5, wanting to be back as soon as possible. Vera wished she was smarter enough to have brought it when she left, so she could punish Ferguson for not letting her reach a climax

When Vera arrived at H5, she noticed something quite odd and it was the door to her cell is closed. Which is very strange because the little devious mouse had left her door open before leaving her unit with Ferguson 

" Widmore? Doyle?" Vera called out

No answer

Vera proceeded with caution over to her cell, not realizing she is currently being set up for an ambush. She now finds herself standing directly outside her door with her hand wrapped around the doorknob

Her gut instinct told her to go back and rejoin Ferguson, but due to Ferguson's influence over the general population Vera believed she is untouchable and nothing bad will happen to her

Vera turned the doorknob, opened the door and sees a grinning Mel Barrett turning to face her

" Surprise, Vera" Mel grinned

Before Vera had a chance to react, she soon spots Soz and Snortz standing behind and trapping the little mouse in her own doorway with no possible way of escaping. A look of fear and panic appeared on Vera's face as she soon realized what is about to happen to her 

" Since the three of us can't take Ferguson on and get our revenge for Allie and Kaz, we decided to go with the next best thing. Which is you, Vera" Mel's grin vanished and in its place is a dark cold gaze " You're going to pay for turning your back on all of us and for what Ferguson has done to the Red Right Hand"

Vera is then shoved into her own cell by Soz and Snortz, as they two entered the cell and closed the door behind them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I did in writing it. War Among Prisoners will be back on full time on New Years Day. So until then hope you guys have a great Christmas and see you again soon


	31. Bombshell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! I hope you guys had a great Christmas and the wait is finally over. This story is back on full time. Buckle yourselves in for a wild ride for the remaining chapters in this story. It is going to be huge and intense. But the third installment will be even bigger than this haha. Also, I may post chapter 32 later this week 
> 
> Enjoy

Joan Ferguson sat alone in the shower block on a bench facing the shower cubicle that her and Vera were going to be sharing. Before she and Vera became an item, she always loved to be alone in this facility and shower alone, away from the pathetic lowlife prisoners surrounding her. When Ferguson arrived, all it had taken is one cold stare from her that easily drove four prisoners out of the room

It has been more than a minute since Vera left to go back to H5 in order to retrieve her towel and still has yet to return to Ferguson. So what's the holdup? Their unit is not far from the shower block and it only takes about 2 - 3 minutes to get here

Has something happened to Vera? Of course not. No prisoner or Rita for that matter would dare try to harm Vera while Ferguson is still running things as Top Dog. No one is that callous or smart to pull off something like that, except for the Freak herself of course

Perhaps Governor Craven wanted a word with Vera. But what for? As far as Ferguson is aware, the only thing Craven cares about is their alliance and keeping Wentworth under their thumb for as long as they see fit

So what could Craven possibly want with Vera? Maybe to get her insight on how she ran things like the Governor, so Craven will always be a step ahead of anyone who tries to get him fired

It won't be anything to do with drugs or searching for them in her cell. When Ferguson became Top Dog again she put a stop to all contraband being brought into Wentworth, as punishment for participating in her lynching and for the simple fact Ferguson loves to make their lives miserable

Unlike Bea Smith who only had a few incidents of prisoners secretly smuggling in drugs for their peers, Ferguson has been 100% successful in making this prison drug free. No one has dared to try undermining her authority. No one

And yet not even the possibility of Vera being in Craven's office is enough to satisfy the Freak. No. Ferguson's gut instincts are telling her that something bad must have happened to her girlfriend and when it's her gut instinct, it's never wrong

But why would Vera be in danger? She's well protected and basically untouchable to everyone else in the general population. Ferguson has made sure Vera will never have to worry about her safety as a prisoner

Maybe Ferguson's age is finally catching up with her and she's become a bit paranoid. No chance. Ferguson's instincts are never wrong, even at the age of fifty-nine her instincts have always served her well and kept her on top of her enemies 

There could be something to this and there could be nothing to it at all. It didn't help with each second passing her by, those thoughts and doubts continued to grow within her mind and eat away at her

" Only one way to find out"

Ferguson rose to her feet, gathered her toiletries and left the shower block. She had to know for herself if Vera is truly ok and not in any danger. It was better than waiting in that room and thinking of all sorts of scenarios of what may or may not have happened

As she got closer to H5 by power walking, Ferguson felt paralyzed when she heard the alarm being raised after someone had pushed the panic button 

ATTENTION COMPOUND! ATTENTION COMPOUND! ALL PRISONERS REMAIN IN THEIR UNITS. CODE RED. REPEAT CODE RED!

Could it really be?

" Vera!"

With the alarm raised, her heart beating rapidly and the fear that something awful has happened to Vera, Ferguson stormed the rest of the way back to H5 and assess the damage for herself

One question ran through Ferguson's mind as she rapidly approached H5

Where were Widmore and Doyle during the time of the incident?

She already came to the conclusion that Rita must have been behind Vera's attack due to the fact that Rita challenged Ferguson about a week ago. But where were Rebecca and Franky? Why weren't they there to stop Rita?

When Ferguson arrived, she sees Rebecca and Franky standing outside of Vera's cell while Tom Shepherd and Ms. Miles were inside Vera's cell and helping the battered and bruised mouse to her feet

" What happened?" Ferguson asked her cronies as she approached them

Franky looked distraught at Ferguson " It's bad. Really bad" she said grimly

" Vera....she..." Rebecca tried to find words to explain the gruesome attack Vera received but no words came to her

Ferguson stared coldly at her apprentice " She what?"

Before Rebecca or Franky had a chance to explain, they along with Ferguson see the damage Vera suffered as she had her arms around Tom and Ms. Miles's shoulders 

Due to the vicious attack by Mel and the Red Right Hand, Vera suffered two black eyes, bruises to her face, a broken nose with dried blood stains on her cheeks and mouth, two broken ribs and a sprained ankle

Vera's eyes were bloodshot red from crying through all the pain she endured and her hair very disheveled and out of place

Ferguson's eyes widen in horror at Vera's injuries as her heart sunk " Vera!!"

Tom and Ms. Miles wasted no time dragging Vera out of H5 and straight over to the medical unit, since it would be a lot quicker than waiting for the other officers to come with a stretcher 

Ferguson approached Vera's cell and found it to be completely in ruins with blood stains on the bed sheets and tiny blood puddle on the ground. The cell looked as if it had been completely ransacked after a drug search but with a fight breaking out

" No no no no"

Ferguson's rage began to simmer and boil to the surface. There was no doubt in her mind Rita had been responsible for this atrocity. The respect Ferguson had for Rita for standing up and challenging her had been replaced with the urge and desire to not only kill but pay Rita back tenfold for what happened to Vera

She is also furious with Rebecca and Franky for not stopping Rita and preventing the attack 

" Where were the two of you?" Ferguson asked as she slowly turned to her cronies with a menacing gaze

Rebecca takes a step forward " Joan, we are truly sorry for what happened to Vera. This would never have happened if we were here" she turned to Franky " Aint that right"

Franky nodded at Rebecca " We had no idea Rita was going to plan something like this. But.." pausing for a moment " I'm not surprised. This was bound to happen to Vera at some point, and I'm not saying I condone it. But Vera made her choice when she sided with you. Honestly, if we were here on at least one of us would have stopped Rita" meeting Ferguson's gaze

" WHERE WERE THE TWO OF YOU?" Ferguson yelled as she had no time for patience

Rebecca jerked back from Ferguson's fury and felt her heart beating a little faster than normal, she's never seen the Freak this angry before or angry in general

Franky stood her ground, it was nothing new to her. She's seen and suffered Ferguson's wrath countless times in the past when they used to be enemies

" We...we......we were called in to do a drug test by Ms. Miles. Apparently Governor Craven had concerns that one of these idiots were ...were planning to bring in drugs" Rebecca explained through stutters

Ferguson turned her fury full force on her apprentice " There are no drugs in my prison, you ignoramus"

" Well obviously Craven thinks otherwise" Franky commented as she folded her arms across her chest

" But then again, it was Ms. Miles who had taken Rebecca and me away before the attack. So it's possible it was all a diversion to ensure we couldn't be there to protect Vera from Rita" Franky assumed as that was a more logical explanation than some idiot secretly bringing in drugs to undermine the Freak 

Rebecca nodded in agreement " I agree and we all know Ms. Miles is always looking to make an extra buck for gambling" she then scoffed " She might as well become a partime prostitute"

" What do you want us to do?" Franky looked back at Ferguson

Ferguson said nothing as she walked past her comrades, left her unit and proceeded to make her way over to the medical unit. With the state she's in, she can't afford her emotions to cloud her judgment, but the thought of not being there to protect Vera and seeing her body just infuriated the Freak even more

Franky and Rebecca left H5 as well and quickly caught up with Ferguson, assuming she wanted them to follow her and be ready to carry out her orders

" Emotion leads to mistakes" Ferguson heard her father's constant reminder ringing in her ears

Ferguson knew Rita was about to make a move at some point but never would have assumed to go straight for her heart by taking out Vera. She figured Rita, instead would focus on taking out the remaining members of her crew before they finally squared off for control 

But it would appear Ferguson has underestimated Rita's capabilities. A mistake she will soon correct

Once the Freaks arrived at the medical unit, they spotted Ernest Craven standing outside of the room in which Vera was housed in and observed Nurse Radliff attending to Vera's wounds. Craven had already gone in to see what exactly happened and whether or not if Vera needed to be transferred to the hospital 

In his own right, Craven is also furious over the incident because he'll have to write another report and notify the board. While his job in question would be protected by two of his puppets on the board, he still had to be cautious when it came to incidents such as these

The arrogance of these prisoners made Craven sick to his stomach. Even when Wentworth under his reign is finally on track and no longer looking like a sideshow attraction, the prisoners still find a way to undermine him

" Governor"

Craven snapped out of his thoughts and turned towards his left where he saw his closest ally and pet project approaching him " Ah, Joan. I was wondering when you would show up"

Ferguson stood directly beside Craven while observing Vera and Nurse Radcliff through the window " We need to talk"

Rebecca and Franky had chosen to remain in the back from a short distance, while two of Wentworth's notorious people converse over Vera's assault

Like Ferguson, Craven turned his attention back onto what was happening in the room " We do indeed. But not here and not now, I prefer to talk alone in my office. Tomorrow will suffice" tilting his gaze towards her

Ferguson nodded in agreement " What's the diagnosis on Vera?" asking Craven the most important question 

If Ferguson and Craven were furious over Vera's attack but for different reasons, they obviously did a good job in concealing it. Well except for Ferguson's outburst in H5 of course. On the outside, they looked perfectly calm, but on the inside is a different story 

The desire for vengeance and making Rita suffer coursed through the Freak's veins, while Craven's burning desire to punish Rita and eventually Ferguson for the sake of justice coursed through his veins

Craven takes a deep breath " It's not looking good, Joan" turning his gaze back onto Nurse Radcliff nursing Vera who was in and out of consciousness" The wounds Bennett has suffered, left me no choice but to transfer her to the hospital. The ambulance is on their way as we speak"

He turned his attention back to the Freak " If you want, I could send you in and say whatever you need to say to her before she leaves. Ms. Bennett won't be back for a long time, but I have no doubt she'll be ok. Speaking of which, Logan is making a full recovery and is expected to be back here within the next week or two" Craven informed 

Ferguson nodded in reply as she kept her attention on her injured girlfriend. While she was pleased to hear Raven will be returning shortly, the only thing she truly cared about is getting revenge for Vera

" Very well" Craven walked over to the door and opened it 

Ferguson moved over to the door, entered the room and approached her girlfriend for closer inspection at Vera's wounds 

" Keep it short. Yeah? Bennett is going to need a lot of rest" Nurse Radcliff told Ferguson while taking off blue rubber gloves

Ferguson ignored Radcliff and kept her attention solely on Vera " I'm sorry, Vera"

Vera opened her eyes and sees Ferguson standing next to her " Joan...... it hurts" trying desperately not to cry in front of her girlfriend but failed as a single tear ran down her cheek 

Ferguson stared intently into Vera's eyes while gently grabbing hold of Vera's hand " Connors will pay for this, I swear it. I'll do to her what I did to you but make it ten times worse" she vowed

Vera sluggishly shakes her head " It......it wasn't....it wasn't Connors"


	32. Setting A Trap

Rita Connors stares at the punching bag in front of her, imagining the bag to be the Freak. She throws up her arms as if Rita is actually about to do battle with her nemesis right there in the prison gym yard

She imagines seeing that cold and emotionless gaze on Ferguson's face, the gaze that would instantly strike fear into the hearts of those that dared to stand in her way for whatever twisted agenda Ferguson was carrying out at the time 

But not Rita. No. Rita will not be bullied or intimidated by this woman. She will stand tall with strength and determination, she will continue the fight until she has completely broken Ferguson's spirit and save the prisoners from her tyrannical control in the general population

Rita gets into a fighting stance, with her enemy dead in her sights. Rita slams a right hook into the side of the punching back and then slams her other fist into the left side. She throws two more punches into the left and right side before focusing her attention on the middle and starts firing multiple hits in the middle of the punching bag

She also made it a habit to duck and pretend the vision of Ferguson being the punching bag is attempting to hit her back and blocking Rita's attacks

Not once did Rita ever think she would be thrown into a war between basically the prisoners and the most hated woman to ever grace the Earth. Not once did she expect to hear the rumors of what Ferguson has done or be in the same prison as her. And Rita certainly didn't expect to receive a lot of support from the prisoners to be their hero 

Rita assumed after Slade had left her in a ditch a few months ago, she would keep her head down and do her time with a possible chance of an early release somewhere down the track. But nope. She's thrown into a battle that has been ongoing for at least two years now and is determined to do whatever it takes to become the next Top Dog

There's no doubt in her mind as to whether Rita is doing the right thing or not by challenging the Freak in a battle of wits and control. She's seen first hand at what life is like under Ferguson's reign and it's barely liveable. The control, the fear and not treating everyone fairly was more than enough for Rita to stop looking the other way and start fighting for their freedom in a sense of not serving their time through fear

Rita ducks again and fires another round of punches into the middle of the punching bag, fires her right and left hooks into the sides of the bag and pretending to give it an uppercut

On the other side of the barred fence, Mel Barrett and the Red Right Hand turned a corner that led them straight to the area where Rita is and a path leading them back inside the main prison building

Mel watched Rita ruthlessly attacking the punching bag with all her might as she, Soz and Snortz, made their way over to the prison gym yard

" Fuck! Remind me to never get on your bad side" Mel grinned while standing in front of the fence that was keeping her and Rita apart

Rita tilts her head towards her right and sees Mel " You think this was bad? Trust me! You haven't seen anything yet. Remember what I did to Raven?" picking up her towel to wipe the sweat off her face

" Oh yeah," Mel nodded " You gutted her like a fish. Maybe you're not just a protector after all. Maybe you can do what no one else can"

Rita places the towel over her shoulder and walks over to the fence " What I did to Raven was payback for Nikki. Doing that and actually..." she soon lowered her voice after spotting a screwing walking past Mel " Taking a life are two different things" she replied

" You've got it in you" Mel claimed " We've all got it. Unlike Ferguson who chooses to use it willingly, we keep it locked away until we have our backs against the corner and there's no other way of escaping, except to go through the person that's after us"

Mel soon walked over to the door and looked up at the camera, so the guard that's watching her allowed her access to the prison gym

Buzz!!

Mel opened the door and entered along with Soz and Snortz. They then made their way over to Rita

" Trust me, Rita. I normally don't like talking about taking another person's life or planning it by going after their loved ones. But this is the Freak we are talking about. It's been proven countless times defeating Ferguson isn't good enough. She has to die and we all need to watch it. We thought she was gone for good when Allie organized Ferguson to be buried alive, but that failed. Ferguson came back and systematically rose to the top again by targeting my friends"

Rita placed her hands on her hips " As I said before, you have my word that if all else fails against Ferguson, I'll be the one to put her down. But there have to be other options for defeating her. Like ensure she gets sent to protection for the remainder of her sentence" she suggested

Mel shakes her head " Knowing Ferguson, that won't last long. If she can come back from being buried alive, she'll come back from being sent to protection. Ferguson has to die" she insisted

" Yeah well" Rita smiled at Mel as she threw a very slow and weak punch to Mel's left shoulder " Don't push me or you'll end up like Raven" she teased

Mel smirked " Bitch, please. I may be small but that doesn't mean I'm weak. I could mop the floor with you any day" teasing Rita back

Rita raised an eyebrow " Oh yeah?" she takes a few steps back, throws her towel to the ground and raises her arms in a " come at me bro" stance

" Bring it, Melanie"

Mel smiled " How about we focus on taking down the enemy in question first. Then we can see who is the strongest. Eh?" enjoying the playful banter they were having

Rita smiled back " You're probably right" she bent down to grab her towel and throw it over her shoulder again " After what happened to Vera last night, Ferguson will be out for blood and it's only a matter of time before she strikes"

" Agreed" Mel looked down at her bruised knuckles, " I think we overdid it with Vera but she deserved it for loving that psychopath. Her part in the final downfall of the Freak has been completed with a very interesting twist" she said looking back at Rita

Rita raised an eyebrow " What do you mean? What twist?"

What could this twist be? Rita assumed after the attack, Ferguson instantly believed she was behind it and would have to prepare as best as she can for the Freak's twisted counterattack

Apparently, that isn't the case

" What I mean is, while the attack was successful. Ferguson may not think you were behind it. You see rumor has it, Vera was on the verge of revealing me to the Freak, but the paramedics arrived just in time. Leaving Ferguson in total doubt and probably more pissed off then she's ever been and that's going to work to our advantage"

Rita couldn't help but smile at Mel's confidence in their plan to bring the Freak down. It is quite refreshing, to say the least " Something tells me, you've got something else in store for her. Am I right?" she asked

" Absolutely. Before Ferguson will have time to think of a plan, I'm going to tell her in front of everyone that I was behind the attack. I want everyone to see that you and me aren't afraid of her and neither should the women be. That way it'll make Ferguson even more furious and have her emotions cloud her judgment. The one mistake she made is getting into a relationship. If she didn't do that, we would be toast right now" Mel explained 

Rita folded her arms across her chest " You do realize that Ferguson may pound you into a pulp or possibly kill you"

While she is impressed with Mel's intellect and confidence, Rita couldn't help but wonder if her friend has bitten off more then she can chew

Mel nodded " I do because I'm going to challenge her to a fight. I'll lose because I've seen Ferguson fight and it ain't pretty. But the message will be clear to the prisoners. Don't be afraid, stand up and show this bitch you're done with her shit. I'm just a stepping stone to your rise to being Top Dog. We all have a part to play in Ferguson's downfall. Once my part finishes, it'll be up to you to finish her off"

Rita shakes her head " No no no. I can't let you do that. If you tell Ferguson that it was you behind that attack, she'll most likely kill you in the fight. Just let her keep thinking it was me" not wanting anyone to die on her account

In a short time, she has met Mel, she has grown to like her as a friend and didn't want that friendship to end prematurely for the sake of taking Ferguson down

" It's not your call" Mel met Rita's worried gaze " I know there's a chance my life could come to an end. If it does then so be it. At least I will have died avenging my friends for a noble cause" she said with great confidence

" To go down for fighting something you believe in is much better than living in total fear and wanting to do something but not having the stomach for it. Ferguson needs to learn nothing lasts forever. The women need to find the strength they had when Ferguson was getting lynched. Even if they are unwilling to get their hands dirty this time around, at least they'll be strong and brave enough to voice their opinion" Mel added

Rita became loss with words at Mel's bravery. The ability to stare death in the face and telling it you're not scared is incredible to Rita and it gave her new found respect for the woman

" And they say I'm the tough one. You're a better woman then I am" Rita smiled " Maybe it should be you to gun for the position for Top Dog. Sure I started this war but you coming up with these plans and the bravery your showing, it puts me to shame"

Mel smiled back and shakes her head " No! While I did thought about the possibility of making a bid to be Top Dog. But Nah. Too much hassle and you give me far too much credit. As you said, you are the one that started this war and if it weren't for you, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. You're the perfect candidate to replace the Freak. The women need you as their leader" she said truthfully

" I'm sure if Kaz was around she would say the same thing" Mel held out her hand to show her friend how much respect and trust she has in her

"Besides working together like this is much more fun than being in charge"

Rita smiled and extended her own hand, shaking Mel's to show her how much respect and trust she has in Mel " Thank you"

That handshake soon turned into a short hug and a pat on the back to solidify their alliance and unity

 

Meanwhile, Ms. Miles returned to the general population after finishing her lunch break in the staffroom. Her thoughts drift back to the events of last night and seeing the injuries Vera sustained before being transferred to hospital 

Ms. Miles knew Mel and the Red Right Hand were going to make Vera pay for aligning herself with Ferguson, but she had no idea how far and how brutal they were going to go for their revenge for Kaz and Allie. If she knew it was going to end that badly for Vera, then maybe Linda wouldn't have been so thoughtless when making a deal with Mel 

Despite their non-existent friendship these days, Ms. Miles did still care about Vera and she almost made a decision yesterday morning to back out of the deal, but her addiction to gambling easily overpowered her moral ethics. The more she gambled, the happier she seemed to be. Even if she lost a couple of hundred bucks, Ms. Miles enjoyed the thrill of risking it all and seeing what comes out from it 

Gambling was the only time in which Linda ever truly felt good about herself. Sure she seemed content when working and somewhat happy, but on the inside, she was pretty much dead and was in need to make herself feel good again

Have there been times where Ms. Miles pondered over what she had to do in order to gain that extra bit of money? Of course, she did and used gambling as a way to make herself forget all about it. Ms. Miles has tried to beat her addiction, but would always end up giving in and never admitted her problem to anyone because she was too proud to admit it to herself

And does she regret being involved with Vera's assault? Of course, she does but after hitting the machines tonight, Ms. Miles will forget all about it and put her guilt to the back of her mind

When Ms. Miles turned down the next corridor, she sees a grinning Scarlett Craven approaching her. It looked as if Scarlett had been searching high and low for her, presumably to make another deal and gain more money

" There you are, Ms. Miles. I've been looking all over for you" Scarlett said happily

Ms. Miles met Scarlett's gaze with caution " Oh yeah? What for?" deciding to play dumb with the troublemaker 

Scarlett stepped closer to amoral Deputy Governor " Is it true that.." she turned her head from side to side and to her back, making sure that no one else was nearby listening to their conversation. Since what Scarlett is about to ask of Ms. Miles should remain a secret

Satisfied no one was around or acting suspiciously, Scarlett turned her attention back to Ms. Miles " Is it true that you're willing to bend the rules and do favors for us, in exchange for money?" also deciding to play dumb when she knew full well that is exactly what Ms. Miles does

Ms. Miles nodded " For the right price. What do you want?"

Scarlett smiled at her " Nothing! Nothing yet. Just wanted to know if the rumors were true, but if there is something I need help with, you'll be the first to hear about it" she replied as she secretly played one hand in her pocket and pressed a button

" Very well then. Is that all?" Ms. Miles asked

Scarlett nodded " Absolutely, Ms. Miles. Have a good day" she walked past the Deputy Governor and made her way straight back to her unit

When she arrived, Scarlett power walked her way into her cell and closes the door. She sits on her bed and pulls out a phone Craven gave her from her pocket, turns the volume down, swipes the key to unlock the phone and listens to video recording message between her and Ms. Miles

" Got ya"


	33. Rising Tide

Ferguson stood by Craven's window inside his office, gazing out at the blue sky before looking down at those worthless creatures roaming around in the prison yard. Ever since Vera's attack and laying a bombshell on her, Ferguson wondered just who really is responsible for sending her girlfriend to the hospital 

" It appears Connors isn't working alone. She has an ally. An ally who has decided to remain hidden in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike"

Craven sat at his desk with his hands clasped together, his gaze locked onto the Freak " Do we know who is working with Connors?" he asked curiously

Ferguson shakes her head " No! Vera was about to reveal the culprit until the paramedics arrived to sweep her away. As if they were involved in a conspiracy to keep the identity of the attacker's name a secret" keeping her gaze on the prisoners in the yard, looking down on them as if she was a God 

It angered her to know that someone, a coward no less working with Rita to bring an end to her reign as the Top Dog and not having the decency of revealing herself to the Freak. However, this doesn't mean Rita won't be punished for her involvement in Vera's attack either, Ferguson will make her suffer the only way she knows how

Attacking Rita on a psychological level. Sure. There will come a point where Ferguson and Rita will have to face each other in hand to hand combat, but knowing how sadistic she can be, Ferguson wanted to make Rita suffer first. Ferguson wanted to show Rita what happens to those that dare to challenge her and attacking the only person she cared about 

Craven smiled at this development " The plot thickens. How interesting" he said with much enthusiasm

" I knew Connors would be trouble for you, but I had no idea she would go to these lengths just to send a message. Kudos on her part"

Ferguson turned her gaze onto Craven " I'm glad you feel that way, considering Vera has endured a despicable attack and I have to deal with another enemy who I know nothing about at this point in time" she said coldly

Craven chuckled amusingly " Aye. Relax, Joan. You'll find out who this coward is and crush her in no time. You do gotta give credit where credit is due. No one has ever attacked you on a personal level and gotten you this angry before"

It pleased him to no end to see Ferguson both furious and sad for what has happened to Vera. But it won't be nearly satisfying as what Craven has in store for Vera when she returns before eventually setting his sights on the Freak 

All in the name of Justice. The only reason Craven has put up with Ferguson for this long is that she is still useful to him, and he wanted to know every last detail of how her mind works before using it to his advantage

Ferguson turned her attention back to the main prison yard " I don't have to do anything. But what I would like to know is who do you know of is planning to bring in contraband and undermine my authority?"

" Come again" Craven raised an eyebrow

Ferguson looked back at Craven " You sent Officer Miles to extract Widmore and Doyle from H5 because you believed somebody in the general population, has been planning to bring contraband"

While she did start to suspect there was really no one planning to smuggle in the drugs, but after what happened to Vera, Ferguson can't be too careful. It's bad enough she has to deal with Rita and her mystery ally, now she has to deal with an insubordinate inmate as well

Craven thought about what Ferguson had said to him for a moment, wondering if he had overheard anything from his colleagues about a possible reboot of the drug trade, but none came to his twisted mind

" There's no one, Joan. Wentworth has been drug-free for months now and I can't remember the last time when the prison was truly drug-free. Thank you by the way for enforcing it, despite these little incidents, it's making me look really good in front of the board"

Ferguson turned around and approached Craven's table " As I suspected, it was all a ruse to lure Widmore and Doyle away. Knowing if they were still in H5, they would have prevented the attack and Vera would still be with me" pulling out a chair and sitting down

She's not at all surprised with Ms. Miles's involvement, that woman would do almost anything to make extra money

Craven frowned " You mean to tell me that one of my colleagues is amoral and would help an inmate for her own benefit for whatever that may be? Despite the fact she's breaking every rule in Corrections?" he asked

Ferguson remained emotionless " You mean you really don't know that Officer Miles has been a player? That's sweet" she said in a mocking tone

" I should fire her for this. In fact, I will, when we are done here" Craven said, leaning back in his chair 

Ferguson shakes her head " No! As shifty Ms. Miles is, she is of still useful to me and I will ensure she only reports to me from now on. No more switching sides or you have my permission to terminate her contract"

Thanks to her ever loyal lawyer, Samantha Dawson, for keeping records on Ms. Miles's bank account and her current conversation with Craven, Ferguson has more than enough to keep the shady Deputy deep in her pocket

Craven widen his eyes in disbelief " I have your permission to fire her if Ms. Miles doesn't obey your orders? Gee thanks" he said sarcastically

" You seem to forget that I run this prison. All you run is the general population side of things. If I want to fire one of my colleagues, I will without hesitation. But since you've been very helpful towards me and me vice versa to you, I'll let her keep her job"

Ferguson didn't appreciate Craven reminding her that she only controls one portion of Wentworth or him pushing his weight around. However, she'll let Craven think he's in control of their alliance when in fact Ferguson has been the entire time

Plus once Ferguson has crushed Rita, she'll be looking into seeing if her lawyer and her other contacts have found any crucial evidence over Craven, which will bring him under Ferguson's complete control and putting herself above the position of the Governor 

Ferguson smiled briefly " Very well. You should also be aware, once I find out who's been helping Rita, I'll be making it my personal mission to send them to the morgue. So if you would be so kind Governor, ensure there will be no interference from your officers"

Craven grinned " The mighty Ferguson is about to do battle once more" he chuckled " Now this I got to see. I'll do my best to keep my staff at bay, no guarantees. Considering my job could be called into the question, and I'm going to need to look like a hero by stopping it at the end of the day" he replied

" Fight her in the yard, that'll break tradition. Prisoners usually fight in the laundry unit, do they not? Besides I want to see you in action and make these idiots remember your not a woman to be messed with"

He never got to see Ferguson's fight with Kaz, only hearing the gruesome details from his colleagues. It was the one thing the self proclaimed God of Justice had yet to see in the Freak, he's seen how Ferguson's mind worked but not her strength

Craven needed to have all his bases covered before deciding Ferguson is no longer of any use to him and punish her in the name of Justice

" Just think of it. You have an entire audience watching you beat the living hell out of this attacker, reminding everyone why you are the infamous Freak. Why you are the best there is, the best there was, and the best Top Dog there ever will be. It'll make people fear you even more and think twice. Plus it'll send a clear message to Rita"

Ferguson smirked at Craven " Don't worry Mr. Craven, you're job will not be called into question. It will remain safe, but you shouldn't be worried. Didn't you say you have two members of the board in your pocket?" she asked him

Craven nodded " I do. They've helped me quite a bit, but that could change if other members of the board invoked a vote of no confidence in my leadership. I will not lose my position as the Governor in Wentworth and I will not be fired or sent back to Walford"

He hated the constant reminder that his job will be called into question by the board if he is unable to control Wentworth, that and hiding his true beliefs when it comes to corrections. Craven should be able to punish his prisoners freely and not be held accountable for his actions since what he is doing is for the good of civilization 

Ferguson's smirk grew a little wider, she enjoyed seeing Craven sweat and if he's not careful, she'll do to him what she did to Vera during her time as the Governor. With one snap of a finger, the Freak could flood Wentworth with drugs which would cause an enormous amount deaths due to overdoses, and of course, escalating her rivalry with Rita 

" You have my word, Governor" Ferguson's smirk faded " You'll remain in Wentworth as long as you see fit"

Craven nodded in satisfaction " Good. I know I can always count on you, Joan" he decided to change the subject " How's Scarlett in your unit? She's not giving you any more trouble is she?" he asked

Ferguson shakes her head " No! Scarlett has managed to finally act mature for her age. But how long that will last, remains to be seen. She kept her head down once, before trying to provoke me into making a move on her. I told her it would be in her best interest to request a transfer to a different unit. Neither I or the others want her in H5"

" If she defies me again, I won't be held accountable for my actions. I will not tolerate insubordination from anyone. And If that doesn't work, then Scarlett will leave me no choice but to send her where I sent Smith and countless others, who stood in my way" Ferguson coldly warned Craven

Craven could tell Ferguson is serious just by looking into her cold dark eyes " Rest assured Scarlett won't be making trouble for you again. I'm keeping her on a tight leash as it is with a special project, so it'll keep her out of your hair" 

This special project Craven mentioned intrigues the Freak " What special project?" she asked him 

Craven smirked at her " That's for me to know and for you to find out. Don't worry, it has nothing to do with you or intercept your plans for Connors" he promised

Ferguson pressed the issue " Come on Craven, I thought our alliance was based on mutual trust and respect. I told you what's going to happen for Connors and her ally. If you say this special project has nothing to do with me, then prove it"

" You helped me in my ascension to become Top Dog. Maybe I can return the favor"

Craven smiled and laughs " Fine! There's no getting around you, is there? Ok! I'm having trouble with one of my colleagues, Mr. Shepherd. He's becoming a nuisance. Like a really annoying ghost!!" he said with much disdain " But this isn't my first rodeo, I have Scarlett on the case to find out what he knows, so I can get rid of him" he admitted

Even though bringing down Tom Shepherd is a top priority, Craven purposely failed to mention what his special project really is. Since this project or whatever it was the Puppet Master is plotting will tip the balance of power once again

" Another rogue officer looking to stick his business into where it doesn't belong" Ferguson smiled at the memory of when she made Matthew Fletcher's life a living hell " That brings me back"

Out of all her victims, Fletcher was the only person to have survived her psychological warfare and attempting to take his life twice. Perhaps after her war with Connors, Ferguson may use her contacts to find Fletcher's current whereabouts and deliver him a present

Yes! Just to let that buffoon remember that the Freak is still alive and will be watching his every move

Craven met Ferguson's amused gaze " Yes, I am familiar with your feud with Matthew Fletcher. If I get into any trouble, you'll be the first to know. But I'm pretty sure I have all my bases covered on this one" he replied

Ferguson nodded in satisfaction " Are we done for today or is there something else you wish to discuss?"

" Nope. That's pretty much it" Craven smiled at Ferguson " I enjoyed our chat today, it's been a while since we last had a proper chat. A meeting of two great minds" he said happily

Ferguson stands up from her seat " It has been very....insightful. Good luck to your plans with Mr. Shepherd" she turned around and headed for the door 

" And good luck to you in your war with Connors and whoever the hell has been helping her," Craven said as he watched Ferguson leave his office and being escorted back with another officer


	34. Revelations

After Vera's brutal attack, the entire general population has been abuzz with who was responsible for the attack as the prisoners sat together in the dining room eating their lunch and talking about the incident. Some believed Rita was still responsible, while others believed the rumor of someone else attacked Vera after the former Governor revealed to the Freak it wasn't Rita at all

Sitting at their usual table next to the front bench where all the food is, is Rita and her friends with Rita sitting at the head of the table. A sign that Rita is not only a friend to Liz, Boomer and Nicole, she is also their new leader of their ragtag crew in H1

" So Rita. What's next for the Freak? What do you and Mel have planned?" Nicole asked her best friend 

Rita didn't answer Nicole at first. She waited until she had finished swallowing a piece of her bread and using a napkin to wipe her face " You'll see in a moment, Nikki. Once Ferguson steps through those doors, she won't know what will hit her" she answered

" Are you going to fight her here?" Boomer asked with a smile " Because that would be really awesome. It could end in a like food fight or something"

True to their word about keeping Rita's alliance with Mel a secret until the time was right, Boomer, Liz and Nicole are the only ones who really knew the details behind Vera's attack

Rita shakes her head " Nah! Although the thought did cross my mind. But this is something much better" she replied

" Be careful though, Rit. Whatever you do, don't underestimate Ferguson and what she's capable of. She can get to you without even trying or getting in your face" Liz warned

Rita nodded at Liz " I will and neither of you guys will have to worry about Ferguson or her Freaks coming after you. Mel and those girls will be keeping an eye out for you when I'm not there with you guys" turning gaze to Nicole and Boomer

Nicole and Boomer nodded

" So what is it do you and Mel have planned when Ferguson gets here?" Nicole asked as she desperately wanted to know along with Boomer

Rita smiled at Nicole " Good things come to those that wait" speaking in riddles

" Come on, we want to know. Stop being all mysterious" Boomer complained

" Rita's right. Good things come to those that wait"

Nicole and Boomer turned their heads back to see Mel Barrett standing behind them carrying a tray

" Why aren't you telling us? We've kept your secret" Boomer looked at Mel

Nicole nodded in agreement " Yeah! This suspense is killing me"

Mel turned gaze onto Rita and they shared the same mischievous gaze. Two co-conspirators unwilling to share their secrets with anyone else, until they felt it was the right time

" Sorry guys. We can't spoil the surprise" Mel said to Nicole and Boomer

Rita kept her gaze on Mel " You sure you want to do this? You can always back out and plan something else" wanting to give Mel other options than just challenging the Freak to a fist fight

Mel looked back at Rita and nodded " I'm sure. I can't wait to see the look on that bitch's face when she gets here" she said with much enthusiasm

She knew she would be outmatched by Ferguson but she didn't care, Mel is going to give it her all when the time comes and show a strong message to the women to fight back, just like they did during Ferguson's lynching

Mel gave Rita and her crew a cheeky eye wink before heading over to her usual table with Soz and Snortz, which was next to an isolated table where Scarlett Craven was eating her lunch 

" The wait better be worth it," Boomer said to Rita

Liz looked at Boomer " I'm sure it will. If Rita and Mel wanted to keep their alliance a secret this long, it must be good"

" It's like being left on a good cliffhanger and you're just dying to know what will happen next," Nicole said before taking a sip of her orange juice " It'll be interesting to see what Ferguson will make of it" she added

And just like Bloody Mary appearing in the mirror after saying her name a couple of times, Ferguson and the Freaks arrived in the dining room, which brought the chatter among the prisoners to an abrupt end

Almost as if all the happiness and life had been sucked right out of their bodies

Ferguson immediately locked onto Rita's gaze and stare intensely into her eyes. Rita hold's the Freak's gaze and stared into her dark soulless eyes. Wentworth's two titans locked in a staredown, refusing to be intimidated and waiting for the other to make the next move on their chess board

Nicole, Boomer, Liz, Scarlett and every other prisoner in the room with the exception of Mel could feel the tension and hatred brewing between Ferguson and Rita. The air became so thick, you could hear a pin dropping to the floor

Tom Shepherd and another male screw stood at the back, watching Ferguson and Rita closely and preparing themselves to stand in and prevent a possible fight breaking out if need be

And when it looked like the stare would last till the end of time, Ferguson broke their gaze by grabbing a tray and heading over to the bench where all the food is. Rebecca and Franky grabbed their trays and followed their leader

Unbeknownst to Ferguson, Mel is smiling because her plan at making Ferguson furious has succeeded. Soon it'll be time to make the Freak even angrier so her emotions will cloud her better judgment

Mel might be on the path towards death but she didn't care. What she and Rita are fighting for is so important and if she has to give her life in order for Rita to do what is necessary by killing Ferguson. Then so be it 

Once she filled her tray, Ferguson headed over to her usual table along with Franky and Rebecca. Despite Ferguson's attempts to suppress her emotions so that she is able to take out Rita and whoever is helping her strategically, she still had difficulty in suppressing them after being around Vera for so long and getting into a relationship with her 

The Freaks take their seats at the table and prepare to dig in to their lunch, although Ferguson will probably spend most of this time devising ways in her twisted mind to make Rita and her accomplice pay for their crimes 

Rita turned her chair slightly in the direction of where Mel and the Red Right hand were sitting and was met with a nod

"Three........Two...........One"

Mel pushes her tray forward before standing up the top of her table, which immediately gained everyone's attention " How's Vera coping, Joan? Last I heard she suffered a few horrible injuries and had the paramedics take her ass over to the hospital"

Ferguson stared coldly at Mel from her table 

" Get down from the table, Barrett" Tom warned

Mel tilted her head over to her right where Tom was " I will once, I finish what I have to say to that cold-hearted psychotic bitch over there" she said to Tom while pointing an index finger over in Ferguson's direction 

" Because trust me, Mr. Shepherd. You and everyone else will want to hear this"

Rebecca rolled her eyes " Sit down and shut up. You're making a fool of yourself" she said 

Mel turned her attention onto Rebecca " Me?" placing a hand over her chest " Me, making a fool of myself? If anyone is making a fool of themselves is you, Raven and Franky for siding with Ferguson. You know what she does and yet, you still side with her. That's pretty fucked up"

" Just sit down before you get hurt" Rebecca warned

Mel scoffed at Rebecca's threat " Please! You wouldn't last five seconds against me"

" Alright, that's enough. Get down before I send you to the slot" Tom said to Mel

Mel now focused her attention back on the Freak " Alright I'll cut to the chase. Rita wasn't behind the attack on your precious Vera, Joan. It was me and the Red Right Hand" she grinned when seeing Ferguson's eyebrow raised

" That's right, Joan. The Red Right Hand gave Vera what she rightfully deserved in retaliation for the murders of Allie Novak and Kaz Proctor. We struck an alliance with Rita to finally rid the world of your black poison by any means necessary. We aren't afraid of you, Joan. And neither should anyone else sitting in this room or where ever they may be in this place. We've had enough of your reign tyranny. And once your dead, we will be moving our attention onto Governor Craven and protesting his unfair rules..."

Due to the revelation of the Red Right Hand being behind Vera's attack and their alliance with Rita, had caused Ferguson to become absolutely livid while trying her best to contain her emotions and remain calm and composed. But it was obvious to anyone watching how angry the Freak was getting with each second passing them by 

Mel smirked at Ferguson's angered expression " We made a fool out of you, Joan. We went straight for the heart" her smirk faded with a cold stare " Just like how you would strike when facing an enemy that stood in your way. Not fun is it? As for Vera....well. We enjoyed every minute of it. Hearing her beg for mercy, crying her eyes out felt invigorating" she said sadistically 

While Mel had no regrets of what she did to Vera, she wasn't a sadist and she didn't really enjoy Vera's suffering. She just said that to get Ferguson even more furious 

It was all apart of her masterplan for the Freak's final downfall

at that moment, Ferguson lost all self-control as she let out a high shriek, slams her fist hard on the table and stood to her feet. Rebecca, who sat next to Ferguson, foolishly stood up and tried to restain her

Ferguson easily broke free from Rebecca's grasp and threw her apprentice across a table nearby and onto the floor, taking a few of the prisoners down with her

Sensing that Tom is about to intervene and pull her back, just when the show was getting good, Mel quickly jumped off the table and quickly approached the Freak. The two locked horns and stared intently at each other

Mel grinned boldly at Ferguson's fury " If you want to hurt me or kill me so bad. How be we duke it out in the yard? You and me. A fight to the finish"

The challenge caused an uproar among the prisoners, they didn't know or could believe Mel had a chance against the Freak, but they wanted to see the fight none the less

" The only place you two will be going in is the slot," Tom said as he finally intervened and pulled Mel back before Ferguson had a chance to strike. While the other male officer stood by Ferguson

 

Mel ignored Tom by keeping her humorous gaze on Ferguson " So how about it? This is your chance to stop the rebellion because believe me. You'll have a much tougher time getting past Rita if you somehow get by me"

" WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED ANYMORE!!"

It took every ounce of Ferguson's being to not knock both Tom and his partner out before placing her hands around Mel's throat and lifting her in the air. She was going to make Mel pay for this insolence and beat her to death in front of everyone in their fight, just to send a message to Rita and the others

Ferguson didn't care if this fight will call Craven's leadership into question with the board, she was going to kill Mel with her own bare hands and rip her bones from their sockets piece by piece

" Let them fight," Scarlett said 

Mel decided to push Ferguson a little further "If you're still not sure. I know a bit of sign language so here's two ya" she pulled the fingers at Ferguson 

" Fight fight fight fight" Scarlett grinned as she egged Mel and Ferguson on 

Ferguson scorned Mel " You've made your last mistake in life, Barrett. You're on" accepting the challenge

With Mel's challenge accepted, Ferguson turned around and allowed the male officer to escort her over to solitary. She knew it wouldn't be long before she and Mel would be released, knowing that Craven would want to see this fight for himself. Plus it will also give Ferguson time to calm down and prepare for not only their fight but also for what she will do to Rita

Tom would then escort Mel over to solidarity, leaving Rita to wonder if Mel really had made the biggest mistake of her life


	35. Deception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long. Been a bit busy with things and I've finally learned what *** means. Which is a substitute for elsewhere or meanwhile, after joining a local writing group

With the day coming to an end and being locked in their units for the night, Scarlett Craven sat alone in H5 on the couch while Ferguson and the others had decided to retire to their cells for the rest of night. Scarlett reads a magazine to keep herself busy while waiting on the hope Tom would walk by

Scarlett still had yet to get Tom to open up to her with any information he may have on her father, just so that she can use it against him and help Craven retain his position as the Governor. She didn't know why Tom would go to great lengths to assassinate Craven's character when Craven has done nothing but do his job and enforcing stricter rules to keep everyone in line

Craven claimed Tom was jealous and is looking to become the next Governor, Scarlett, on the other hand, isn't so sure if this was the case. Sure, there's no question Tom has gone out of his way to get her father fired. However, Scarlett never got any hint of jealousy or hints of wanting to be the Governor during their first brief encounter

Whatever it was, Scarlett vowed to get to the bottom of it and put a stop to Tom's plan before her father is framed for something he never did

Scarlett flicks through the celebrity magazine looking for any juicy piece of gossip she had been missing on the outside, but nothing was juicier than the events that unfolded in the dining room around lunchtime earlier today - Ferguson and Mel's confrontation which lead to both parties being sent to the slot 

The fact someone else had purposely pushed the Freak's buttons and provoked her to the point of literally throwing one of her own allies to another table and crashing into a few people made Scarlett grin from ear to ear. She thought she was the only one who liked to piss Ferguson off but that wasn't the case

It didn't even bother Scarlett to witness a glimpse of Ferguson's physical strength, she just loved the fact Mel wasn't putting up with grandma's shit and was going to stick it to her. And now that she and the Freak have been sent to the slot, all hell is surely going to break loose without a Top Dog in the general population 

Or will someone like Rita step up and take the reigns? 

If Scarlett didn't promise Craven to stay out of trouble and draw attention to herself, most likely she would have been more than tempted to put her name forward to be the interim Top Dog until Ferguson returned

Ferguson wouldn't like it if Scarlett or anyone filled in for her, but it's sure is fun for Scarlett to think about it and imagining how pissed of Grandma Fergy would be at her, which may lead to a feud of their own for power

Imagine that. Scarlett Craven for Top Dog! Perhaps someday. Right now Scarlett needs to focus on the task at hand and getting every last bit of information out from Tom before Craven makes his move to rid himself of this menace 

After flicking through the pages and finding the articles uninteresting, Scarlett threw the magazine onto the coffee table, which made the magazine slide over to the edge and fall to the ground

"Eh" Scarlett waves her hand in dismissal

Scarlett gets off the couch and headed over the barred gate keeping her locked in H5, she grabs onto the bars and looked both ways to see any signs of Tom about to pass her way. Unfortunately for the little troublemaker, there was no sign of the enemy

" Ugh he better not have gone home already"

Scarlett backed away from the gate and went over to the kitchen in order to make herself a cup of coffee to help pass the time and quench her thirst. She boils the jug, brings down a cup from the top shelf and takes the bottle of milk from out of the fridge

She then takes out a tablespoon, a jar of coffee, a jar of sugar and begins adding in the mixture for her drink. Once done, Scarlett pours in the hot water and stirs the mixture around with the tablespoon before throwing the spoon in the sink

Scarlett picks up her cup and made her way over to the table, she sits at the head of the table facing the gate and waited like an optimistic hunter that she is, waiting for her prey to arrive 

Bringing the cup to her mouth, she lightly blows on so the coffee won't burn her tongue or her throat. Once satisfied, Scarlett takes a small sip of her drink before setting the cup down onto the table

Her patience soon pays off when Scarlett catches Tom about to pass her unit by, who currently just finished his evening shift and was currently on his way out for the night

" It's about time you showed up," Scarlett said as she got up from her seat and made her way over to the barred gate

Tom notices Scarlett making her way towards him " I was actually heading home for the night"

"Oh come on. Surely you can stay for a few minutes and have a chat with little ol' me" Scarlett smiled at Tom through the barred gate

" Lunch was interesting today, wasn't it? Who would have thought it would end with a challenge being issued to the Top Dog. Here I thought this place was nothing but boring and miserable Purgatory"

Despite feeling tired and wanting to crack open a cold one, Tom decided to stay and humor the little troublemaker. He turned around to give Scarlett his full attention 

" You're telling me. I've never seen Ferguson losing her shit before. No one has ever gotten her that mad before" Tom revealed

Scarlett grinned " Give me ten minutes with her and I'll make grandma start ripping her own hair out" she then giggled

Tom smiled and laughed " The scary thing is I actually believe you. Nothing seems to scare you"

" Why should anything scare me? I've lost my freedom for six years and stuck doing menial chores when I don't have free time for myself. When you got nothing to lose, you tend to not let things get to you" Scarlett grin turned into a mischievous smirk 

Tom chuckled " Well....your life for starters. Not to mention your psychological and emotional wellbeing. The Freak takes great pleasure in targeting those areas. It's best if you stay out of Mel and Rita's beef with her"

" I'll keep that in mind" Scarlett nodded " How are grandma and Mel anyway? Are they having a war with words in solitary? Or are they on their best behavior?" she asked him

" Well I wouldn't say they are on their best behavior, but they aren't trying to tear their cells down to get to each other if that's what you mean" Tom replied

It was strange for Tom to see Scarlett be so approachable and easy to talk to, unlike Craven who acted like he had a broomstick up his ass and acting superior to everyone around him. Scarlett was more of a people's person but isn't without faults, she would cause trouble just to get a reaction out of someone

Perhaps Tom can actually befriend this woman and like the one person in the Craven family where he doesn't wish any harm on them. Plus it would be a good chance to learn more about Craven through his relationship with Scarlett and see if he can dig any other dirt on him

Scarlett's smirk grew wider " I'm looking forward to seeing their fight. You can't stop it, Mr. Shepherd. Neither you or my father. If they want to fight then they'll make sure their fight goes uninterrupted" she said

Tom shrugs his shoulders " I suppose" he decides to change the topic " How was your visit with your mother the other day?"

" Great!" Scarlett's face lit up 

Tom noticed a slight twinkle in Scarlett's eye when mentioning her mother " Oh yeah?"

" It was the first time we had seen each other in over 5 years" Scarlett revealed

Tom raised an eyebrow " Why is that? What happened between you two? if you don't me asking"

" Well, it wasn't to do with me and mum per se. It was more to do with what happened between me and daddy. The Governor" Scarlett's smile faded " Some things were said that should not have been said...him pushing and pushing me" her face dropped " I reached my limit with him and said I never wanted to see him again. So I did, but kept regular contact with mum through phone calls" Scarlett explained looking back up at Tom

" I wasn't the perfect daughter by any means. I ran with the wrong crowd just to get back at dad, which upset mum and rightfully so" Scarlett gave Tom a half smile " But I and mum have resolved our differences, just like me and dad. We are one big happy family again"

This sudden revelation of Scarlett and Craven having problems in the past intrigued Tom, it surely explained how different they were despite being related. Perhaps if Tom were to dig a little deeper, he may get a bigger insight into Craven's personality

While it wouldn't help Tom's case in exploring the Puppet Master's abuse of power and his alliance with the Freak, it would still give him a better understanding of Craven. Besides Tom has already hired a private investigator to look into Craven's past with Walford and will be meeting up with the investigator in a few days

" What exactly happened between you and Craven? I take it that you didn't exactly have what is considered a normal father and daughter relationship" Tom asked curiously

Scarlett looked at Tom and pondered whether or not to spill the beans as Craven encouraged her to do, but she purposely decided not to tell the oblivious guard. At least not tonight 

" I would tell you but..." Scarlett lets out a fake yawn " But I'm getting a bit sleepy. How about some other time?"

Tom felt disappointed with Scarlett wanting to reveal her history with her father for another day, but he chooses to respect her wishes " Yeah alright. Another time will be good" he offered her a friendly smile 

" Thank you. And between you and me, you're pretty damn sexy" Scarlett grinned at Tom and gave him an eyewink before turning around and heading back to her cell

Tom smiled while watching Scarlett entering her cell " Goodnight, Scarlett" he then walked past H5 and proceeded to leave Wentworth for the night 

* * *

 

Mel Barrett sat on the cold floor with her back pressed against the wall inside of the cells in solidarity. She still had the same smug look on her face she had earlier when purposely provoking Ferguson after revealing herself to be Vera's attacker 

Although to be fair, Mel didn't exactly count on Ferguson ruthlessly throwing Rebecca across a table and knocking down a few other prisoners in a fit of rage. But it just showed how much control Mel currently has over the Freak

She wanted Ferguson to lose her shit in front of everyone. She wanted to the women to see that neither her or Rita are afraid of Ferguson as the Top Dog. And she wanted to show everyone she wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty by challenging Ferguson in a fight to the finish

Even though her best friend had perished months ago, Mel still felt Kaz's spirit influencing and guiding her to take action. It still pissed her off how easily Ferguson managed to regain power and the way she brutally killed Kaz. If it wasn't Sonia's surprise attack in the shower block, Mel would have still been around and might have a made a difference to stop the Freak 

When Mel returned on the day of Kaz's death, she vowed to get revenge for her and Allie. One way or another. It had taken a while to get to this point, but it was all worth it. Mel has a partner she can trust to put an end to Ferguson's reign of terror, and Ferguson has completely snapped under the weight of her emotions today

If and when they do fight and it proves to be the end of the road for Mel, she can at least say she died fighting for a cause and gained revenge for her friends in the process

Mel hears a "click" in the door that made stare directly at the door

The door opened and stepping inside is Ernest Craven, who wasn't looking too pleased with the fearless leader of the Red Right Hand. Especially not after being told Mel will be coming after him in the little speech she made to Ferguson

" Evening, Governor. What do I owe the sudden pleasure?" Mel smiled sarcastically

Craven kept his cold penetrating gaze onto Mel " Close the door" he ordered the guard who stood behind the Puppet Master

The guard nodded and did as he was told, he stepped out from the doorway and closed the door to give Craven and Mel their privacy

" You've made quite an impression on the women today with your speech. Everyone is talking about it. They've never seen Ferguson lose her temper with anyone"

Mel smiled proudly " Yeah well. I just told her, I and Rita are done with her shit and so should the others. Ferguson is just one woman" holding up a finger " One woman against an entire prison filled with us" she rolled her eyes " Yes! The bitch can fight. But not when all of us are attacking her simultaneously" 

" I see, and you also planned to turn your little rebellion onto me is that correct? After you willing admitting to murder Ferguson" Craven said coldly

Craven wanted to beat Mel to a bloody pulp right in this cell, but he couldn't since Ferguson wanted Mel for herself. That was the only downside to their alliance, any prisoner who stood in Ferguson's way whether it was Rita or Mel, Craven couldn't do anything to them

Mel's smile faded " What do you think? These rules you have enforced about stripping away our TVs, one phone call per day to our family and friends, restricting out visitations and sending away items and gifts our families want to bring in for us. That bullshit might have washed after the incident with Kaz, but it's been months now. This shit has gone on long enough" she replied

" How are you not suspended or have a slap on the wrist from your superiors is beyond me"

Craven half smiled " What makes you think I haven't told the board about my little experiment? You prisoners had it easy for far too long, making a mockery what rehabilitation is all about. Wentworth, for a long time, had been considered a circus. A sideshow freak. Governors turning into prisoners. High rates of overdoses or suspected murders, riots and escapes"

He slowly approaches Mel " But when I was elected to take over, I vowed to turn this prison around as I did with Walford. Sure! It had taken a while to learn how you prisoners operated but I figured it out. Now for the first time in this prison's history, it has been truly freed from drugs. Something that has never happened to Wentworth, until now. The board believes in my work as much as I believe in myself" he said with great confidence while using both the truth and lies to deceive Mel 

Craven now stands directly in front and towering over her " You prisoners don't deserve to be treated equally as the people do on the outside. You broke the law for your own selfish reasons and you deserved to be treated like scum until you've truly learned the error of your ways. Besides" he smiled at Mel " Be grateful I'm letting you eat and the right to shower"

" But if you had the opportunity to take that away, you would. Wouldn't you?" Mel frowned at him 

She didn't like the way Craven acted so superior towards her or the other prisoners, and she certainly didn't approve of the Puppet Master's beliefs on when it comes to corrections. Mel also had a hard time of believing the board would accept Craven's extreme rules, it didn't seem right to her the board would just allow this man to treat the women like dirt

Craven smiled in reply, which basically told Mel everything she needed to know about him 

" When Me and Rita are done kicking the crap out of Ferguson, I'm going to want to use your phone to call the board myself. Just so that you're not bullshitting me. And if that doesn't work, I'll make a shit load of noise and bring the General Manager down on your ass" Mel vowed

Craven stared coldly at Mel. He now realizes Mel's alliance with Rita could possibly bring more trouble, not just to him but the Utopia he and Ferguson have created. Mel's little stunt in the dining room today has already gotten some of the prisoners to speak up and become more vocal about his rules 

" If I were you. I'd be more concerned with what Ferguson will do to you. I've already released her back into general because I know sooner or later, the both of you will organize the fight. So why not get it over and done with as soon as possible? And from the way I saw her, you might not be around for much longer" 

Craven turned his back to Mel and walked over to the door, not realizing Mel gave him the fingers. He opened the door, stands outside of the cell and turned back towards her " Goodnight, Barrett" he closes the door and locks it 

He turned to the guard standing next to him " Bring Ms. Miles to my office. I want to have a little chat with her"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will mark Ms. Miles from a recurring background character to a main character


	36. The God of Justice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dark times lie ahead for Ms. Miles

Ms. Miles sat alone in the staffroom drinking her cup of coffee to give her the extra energy to get through the night shift. It's been almost a week since she either made a bet on a horse or waste her money on one of those slot machines, and she's fixing to gamble as soon as her shift is over

The only thing that could make working the night shift bearable and more likely to distract her from her addiction is if Tom were still working alongside with her. Tom is the only other person Ms. Miles could relate and found attracted to 

When Tom first came to work in Wentworth after being transferred from Blackmoor, he and Ms. Miles immediately hit off due to their fair share of common interests and being huge fans of the Wallabies. Although of out pride, Ms. Miles never revealed her gambling addiction out of pure shame and not wanting Tom to think of her as one of those helpless losers that don't give a shit 

There were times when they had a chance to hang out after work and have a few drinks, Ms. Miles came close to revealing her true feelings for Tom which went beyond the norm of a platonic friendship. She liked the fact Tom was different compared to the other men she knew. He was sweet, considerate, loyal and a down to Earth kind of guy carrying no baggage what's so ever

Which is exactly what Ms. Miles has been looking for. She was drawn to Fletcher and Will but neither did work because they were more suited as friends than lovers. Jake Stewart, Ms. Miles never had a chance and when she learned what he did to Vera, she didn't want anything to do with him

But the only thing holding her back from telling Tom her feelings is her addiction to gambling and also the fear of possible rejection. Ms. Miles has been down that road before and wasn't sure if she could handle another one again. So she decided it would be for the best if she said nothing and they stayed friends

She sighs " Oh well" grabbing her cup and drinking more of her coffee

Ms. Miles noticed Kevin entering the staffroom " Hey, Kev. Night shift too huh?" she asked

" Yeah pretty much" Kevin nodded " Governor wants a word with you in his office" he informed

" Craven is still here?" Ms. Miles looked up at the clock that hung above the sink with the time reading ten thirty " He usually leaves around at nine or eight thirty" she said surprisingly

Kevin shrugged " Not tonight apparently. Might have something to do with Ferguson and Barrett. He was talking to them earlier before releasing Ferguson back into General just now and has aksed Mel to be released tomorrow morning" he informed

Ms. Miles raised an eyebrow " Seriously? They were only in the slot for nine hours. Not even a full day. Doesn't he realize Ferguson will murder Barrett in their fight? Does Craven want to be left with another warning?" she asked no one in particular

" I don't know. I'm just the messenger, Linda" Kevin replied

Ms. Miles chugged down the rest of her coffee and wiped her lips "No time like the present. See you later, Kev" she got up from her seat and left the staffroom

She turned down the corridor and headed towards an elevator. She now wondered what Craven would want with her in regards to Ferguson and Mel. Perhaps to keep a larger eye on them so she can help Craven prevent the inevitable fight 

But knowing the prisoners as she does, Ms. Miles knew if the women want to cause each other pain to solve their differences, they'll find a way to do it. As smart as Craven claimed to be, he's acting very stupid by releasing both parties only mare hours after putting them in the slot

Ms. Miles pressed the button to open the elevator, she steps inside and presses the button to go to the top floor where Craven's office resides. With the doors closed, she now waited as with each floor the elevator is taken her to

She wondered again what was so important to make Craven stay back and wanting to talk to her Maybe Craven was going to give her a raise or time off, instead of it being about Ferguson and Mel. Ms. Miles smiled at the thought, even though it is highly unlikely Craven will give her one of those options

It better not to stay overtime. She's already covering for someone as it is by working the night shift. Whatever it is, she'll find out soon enough

The elevator takes her to the top floor with the doors sliding open. Ms. Miles stepped out and turned towards her left. She proceeded down the corridor before turning right and making her way to the end where Craven's office is

Ms. Miles found the first door open where Craven's assistant worked, she entered and now found herself standing in front of Craven's door. She knocks three times

Knock Knock Knock 

" Enter!" Craven said on the other side of the door 

Ms. Miles opened the door and found Craven's back to her as he stands in front of the window and looking out at both his prison and the evening sky. The same way Ferguson used to do when she was the Governor

" You wanted to see me, Governor?"

Craven nodded " I do. Close the door and have a seat" he said in a serious tone

" Ok!" Ms. Miles did as she was told. She closes the door and pulls out a seat to sit in

Craven sighed "How long have you worked in Wentworth Correctional Centre, Linda?" he turned to face her " Must be what? Ten years now? Eleven?" he asked

" Ah twelve" Ms. Miles corrected him " Twelve years"

Craven nodded " I see" he walked away from the window and over to his chair " In all that time, you've spent most of it being an officer in the general population. Past over for a possible chance of promotion to Deputy Governor. Must have felt good when the board pointed you as Deputy, five months ago" he sat down in his chair 

Now that he has crucial evidence, Craven has Ms. Miles right where he wants her. Soon he'll bring her under his complete control whether she likes it or not. It'll not only change the game for the prisoners but further serve his crusade for justice

" Yeah. Yeah, it was " Ms. Miles half smiled at him " I mean. I didn't mind working just an officer, but to be promoted to where Vera and Will used to be is rewarding. Even though If I got there due to both Will and Jake going AWOL and there was no one else worthy to take over as the Deputy"

She now thought about the possibility Craven may give her a raise after all

Craven clasped his hands together " Do you enjoy your work? Aside from getting a nice salary. Is it rewarding helping the prisoners to better themselves before releasing them back into society?" he asked curiously

" I won't lie. Some of it can be stressful and quite daunting. Not to mention having someone like Ferguson as a prisoner. She's not above targeting us, but yeah" Ms. Miles nodded " It is rewarding. Every criminal deserves a second chance, it's why I got into this line of work" she confessed

Craven felt sick to his stomach when Ms. Miles lied to him about the prisoners deserving a second chance. As far as he was concerned, if they broke the law then they deserved to be treated as they are, scum

In his own mind, no one deserves a second chance or a right to change their ways. Once a criminal, always a criminal and they need to be punished by him and only him

" If you really believe that. Why have you gone out of your way deliberately to undermine my authority and break the law on more than one occasion" Craven stared coldly at Ms. Miles 

It was now time to spring the trap on Ms. Miles and reel her in as his slave

Ms. Miles blinked " I'm sorry?" trying to play dumb in front of the Puppet Master 

" Don't play the innocent with me. You know exactly what I'm talking about. I know you do special favors for the women in exchange for making more money to fund your gambling addiction" Craven snarled at her in disgust

Ms. Miles shakes her head " Come on, Governor. I would never make any deals for the women, knowing it can put my job in jeopardy. Someone has been feeding you false information" trying to throw Craven off her sent

Just the way Craven is staring at her, sent a chill down her spine. Ms. Miles didn't know how the Puppet Master caught onto her extracurricular activities, but she's going to do her best to steer him away 

Craven sighs as he takes out his phone from his pocket, he swipes to unlock it and went into the voice recording application. He pressed onto Scarlett's conversation with Ms. Miles and played it in front of her 

 

* Scarlett and Ms. Miles's conversation*

Scarlett: Is it true that you're willing to bend the rules and do favors for us, in exchange for money?

Ms. Miles: For the right price. What do you want?"

Scarlett: Nothing! Nothing yet. Just wanted to know if the rumors were true, but if there is something I need help with, you'll be the first to hear about it

Ms. Miles: Very well then. Is that all?

Scarlett: Absolutely, Ms. Miles. Have a good day

* Conversation ends* 

 

Ms. Miles's widen her eyes in astonishment, no longer playing dumb or being the innocent. She couldn't believe Scarlett not only tricked her but recorded it on Craven's phone to be made against her

The look on Ms. Miles's face satisfied the Puppet Master. Craven now has her within his grasp and he won't be letting go of her. Not with the plans, he has in store not only for Ms. Miles but Wentworth in general 

" You still want to play dumb with me?" Craven asked her

" I know for a fact you made a deal with Barrett and Connors to make up some excuse I wanted to do a drug test on both Widmore and Doyle. Just so that Mel could bash Bennett and send her to the hospital. Not only that, but I have several other sources confirming how corrupt you are"

Craven lied on that last part about having more sources other than illegally having Ms. Miles's voice recorded and knowing the truth about Vera's attack. He won't have to worry about Ms. Miles reporting him to the police since the way he spoke to Ms. Miles was more than enough to have her believe him 

It's over! Ms. Miles thought. She was not only going to be fired, but she will be sent to prison and most likely be sent to Wentworth. Ms. Miles couldn't believe it. She was always careful doing odd favors over the years but never thought it would come back to bite her

" I suppose you want me fired and have me arrested" Ms. Miles assumed while looking at him 

Craven smiled at Ms. Miles " Now why would I want to do that?"

" Huh?" Ms. Miles raised an eyebrow at Craven " You've figured out what I've done. Surely you won't want me around as an officer" she said 

Craven leaned back in his chair and looking very pleased with himself " I could and I have every right to do so. But that wouldn't do you or me any good. We all make mistakes and I've made a few. You see! I too have bent the rules and manipulated the system, but for not for selfish reasons" his smile faded and it is replaced with a stern gaze

" For years I have witnessed criminals manipulate the system to either avoid going to jail or be released earlier than what their sentence is given. Especially punks like you. When the courts fail to punish the criminals, it's my duty to fix their mistakes. Whoever breaks the law, deserves to be punished. Fight fire with fire. Think of this as " Craven paused for a moment to find the right words " Repentance for your sins. Redemption"

Ms. Miles said nothing 

Craven leaned forward in his seat " For now on, you'll do whatever I say. No matter how ethical or unethical it may appear to be. If any of the prisoners want a favor from you, you report it to me first. You serve me and only me, the God of Justice" he held out his arms and hands

" You must be joking," Ms. Miles thought Craven was nuts thinking he was a God of anything. But the fact he is more than willing to break the law for himself and punish the women by any means necessary made her sick to her stomach

Craven frowned at her " Does it look like I'm joking. But if you want to lose everything and become my prisoner" he gave her a sinister smile" I'll be more than glad to have you arrested. Trust me, Linda, you do not want to be a prisoner under my care. You think my rules are tough?" he scoffed " You haven't seen anything yet"

" No" Ms. Miles shakes her head " I'd rather stay as a free woman" not wanting to imagine what he might do to her as a prisoner

Craven grinned " Good choice, Linda. Very good indeed. In order to prove your loyalty to me, you're going to help me frame Mr. Shepherd. He's been sticking his nose into my business and trying to expose my alliance with the Freak. Which I do have one with her. I already have Scarlett pumping information out of him, and I'm going to need your help in delivering the final blow. But first, release Barrett back into General before breakfast"


	37. True Calling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another flashback and insight into Craven's mind

It is exactly eleven fifty when Craven arrived home, after stopping by McDonald's to have dinner. Only ten minutes away from not only midnight but the anniversary of an event that forever changed his destiny and put him on a path of self-righteousness. If you were to ask Craven about the event, he would tell you, he died and was reborn a new man who's willing to deliver justice by any means necessary

Once Craven parked his car up the driveway, he got out, closes the door and pressed the automatic lock on his keys. He hummed away happily as he made his way to the front door, he opens it, steps inside and closes the door

Most of the lights except for the living have been turned off, which meant Lisa has already gone to bed. Which worked perfectly well for Craven since he wanted to spend time in his study and celebrate his own special anniversary of realizing his true destiny in life. The Puppet Master threw his keys into the bowl, walked past the living room and headed straight into the kitchen, turning the lights on

Craven is still very pleased with himself for outsmarting Ms. Miles and placing her under his thumb. Stupid woman, he thought. Criminals! Whether they were prisoners or not, are all the same, lead astray by their own arrogance and selfishness. They always come undone in the end by the Puppet Master himself 

He loved seeing Ms. Miles's stupid shocked expression when he pulled out his phone containing a video recording between her and Scarlett. It was pure genius on Craven's part, letting Ms. Miles become arrogant once again by revealing her true colors to Scarlett and using it against her

Craven opened one of the top cabinets and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. He sits it down on the bench and bent down to open the lower cabinet to pull out a glass for himself

The funny thing about blackmailing Ms. Miles is that Ferguson had planned to do the same to her when she mentioned it during her and Craven's last meeting. Ferguson also grew tired of the flexible moral officer doing favors for others which often clashed with the Freak's own interests. But Craven beat Ferguson to the punch and will do well to keep tabs on Ferguson if she decided to turn against him 

Craven grabbed the whiskey bottle in one hand while using the other to grab his glass. He turned the lights off, walked past the living room and turned the lights off there as well. Craven hummed again while making his way upstairs. Once up top, he turned left and went down to the end of the corridor where his sanctuary is

He places his glass in the same hand where he's holding the whiskey bottle so that he had a free hand to slide underneath his white collared shirt and removed the secret key he kept around his neck. Craven placed the key into the doorknob and turned it

Click!

The Puppet Master opened the door, stepped inside his study room and used the back of his boot to close the door. He flips a switch and the lights came on. Craven smiled at his college photos of Ferguson

" Another successful day wouldn't you say?"

Craven walked over to his desk and sat both the whiskey bottle and glass down " Looks like you won't be having Ms. Miles as your informant after all" he chuckled while staring at the photos

" I really hope you don't turn against me, Joan. I'm really enjoying our alliance in Wentworth and personally, I want it to last for a very long time. But I know your history of manipulation and betrayal, so I always have two back up plans in case if that day should ever come"

Craven opens the bottle lid of the whiskey and pours it in his glass. Once he reached the top, Craven sat the bottle back down on the table. He holds up his glass to the Ferguson photos almost as if he's about to make a toast in her honor

" Goodnight Ferguson"

Craven brought the glass to his lips and poured a small portion of his whiskey down his throat which burned him slightly. He didn't mind the temporary pain the whiskey brought to his throat since he was used to it

He pulled out his comfy spinning chair and sat down. Craven looked over at his digital clock which rested on the right edge of his desk with the time which now read - twelve o' clock. Midnight

Craven smiled before finishing the last contents of whiskey in his glass and sitting it down on his desk. He wipes his lips and opened the bottom drawer, bringing out what appeared to be a rusty crowbar covered in dried bloodstains 

He stared at the weapon intently, especially at the bloodstains. It was thirty years ago on this day, where he not only realized his true purpose in life but avenged the loss of his father

 

*Flashback*

November 17th, 1987

Inside one of Melbourne's nightclubs called Nightlife, while a few people danced to a techno tune being played in the background with strobe lights flashing, the others were busy spending their hard earned money getting drunk at the bar or wherever the hell they are sitting and having a good time

A young seventeen-year-old Ernest Craven sat alone at a booth on an angle where the bar is located, keeping an eye on the man who killed his father and manipulated the system enough to avoid going to prison, Jared Blake 

At this time, the Puppet Master wears a dark grey top with a black trench coat over it, blue jeans and brown boots

Jared wears a white collared shirt with a black blazer over it, black pants and black boots, his smooth brown hair slicked behind his earlobes getting pissed as he always did on a Friday night 

For several months now, Craven has stalked his prey and tracking his every move, finding a suitable place to carry out his revenge. His mother, Maria Craven, never knew about this incident since she was lead to believe Craven was staying the night at friend's home

Of all the places Craven has followed Jared, this nightclub is the perfect place to lure the murderer away from the public since he always entered Nightlife alone without any backup. Craven had to be very methodical about how he'll deliver his own brand of justice against Jared and making sure he chose the right weapons for the job

It had taken a considerable amount of time to plan but Craven figured it out in the end. No more waiting. No more hiding in the shadows. Tonight is the last night, Jared Blake breathes his last breath

Jared Blake roared with laughter at the bar which made the Puppet Master sick to his stomach. It's clear Jared has no conscience, no guilt or remorse for putting Craven and his mother through so much pain. It's almost as if killing Thomas Craven was nothing but a joke to the evil drug lord

Well! Jared won't be laughing for very much longer. Not when Craven is done with him

" Good chat as always my friend." Jared takes out his wallet and gave the bartender an extra tip " Keep the change. I'm outta here" he grabs his glass and chugs the rest of his paint

Craven notices Jared getting off his bar stool and proceeding to make his way outside into the carpark. Finally! the Puppet Master thought to himself. Judging by the way Jared was drinking, Craven figured he'd be stuck at Nightlife until closing time, but luckily for him, this wasn't the case 

He gets up from his seat, slowly and methodically following Jared outside to the carpark. Craven now sees Jared standing by his Lamborghini 350 Gt with his back turned at Craven

The Puppet Master reached inside the left part of his trench coat and pulled out a crowbar he placed in a hidden pocket "Now is the time"

He wasted no time in storming over his way over to Jared who was fishing for his keys inside his pocket

" Jared Blake!" Craven called to him 

The evil drug lord turned around and met with a full on blow to the side of his head with Craven's crowbar, which caused him to collapse to his knees and became semi-conscious. Blood started to slowly leak out from the side of Jared's head 

" I'm not finished with you yet" Craven opened the backdoor of the Lamborghini and fished through Jared's pockets for his keys

Jared barely looks up at the vengeful Craven " Wh...Who the fuck are you?"

Craven manages to grab Jared's keys with his spare hand and uses the other to hit Jared's head with the crowbar again " Your worst nightmare" he replied

He picks up Jared just enough to throw him into the back seat, but Jared's legs were still sticking out. So Craven pulled Jared's body further in the back seat until his feet were now inside the vehicle 

Craven slams the door shut, locks it and hops into the driver's seat. He places the key within the ignition and drove away from Nightlife. In order to carry out his revenge, Craven needed to go to a place more secluded where no one would be around to witness or stumble upon the brutality he's about to unleash and he knew where the perfect place is

He drove through the city, acting like any other ordinary bloke by stopping at the traffic lights and driving within the speed limit. Craven drove further and further into the city of Melbourne until finally arriving at the docks. This was the perfect place to carry out justice because Craven studied the place and made sure no one would be lurking around at this time of night 

After parking the Lamborghini, Craven turned off the ignition and gets out of the vehicle, clutching the crowbar tightly within his grasp. He went to the back seat, unlocked the door and opened it 

" It's judgment day, Mr. Blake" Craven proclaimed

The vengeful teen pulled Jared's legs out of the car and grabbed the back of his shirt to throw Jared down onto the ground near the sea

Jared held the part of his head where it was struck and tried to stop the bleeding " You better finish me off kid or I'll make your life a living hell" he snarled at Craven 

" Oh trust me" Craven slammed the crowbar into Jared's knees " I tend to finish you off for murdering my father" 

Jared groaned when Craven used the crowbar to hurt his knees " What are you talking about?" raising an eyebrow " I don't know your daddy" he said truthfully

He never remembers killing his victims and leaving their family members in a lot of pain over their loss of a loved one. As far as Jared was concerned, it was business as usual

Craven targetted Jared's knees again, hitting them twice " Remember Thomas Craven?" he stared coldly at his prey " The officer who almost took down your drug empire" he spat

He continued using the crowbar to hit Jared's knees until he completely broke them and making this piece of scum unable to stand up and try to escape

Jared screamed in agony " JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!!!" he used his elbows to support him so he didn't lay flat on his back " I think you broke my knees" he said 

" Good!" Craven poked Jared's neck with the crowbar " Now answer my question. Do you remember Thomas Craven?"

Jared thought about Craven's question if he remembered his father and he did " Yeah. Yeah, I remember him" his eyebrows raised " Wait a minute! You're that kid that was giving me death looks in my trial back in February" he said while trying to fight through the pain of his shattered kneecaps 

" Correct" Craven slides the crowbar out from Jared's neck and targeted his chest, slamming it roughly on his right rib cage

The blow to his ribs forced Jared to lose his balance on his elbows and fall flat on his stomach " Fuck!" groaning again 

Craven grinned sadistically at his prey " Does that hurt? DOES IT!! Good" showing no sympathy for Jared

" I waited a long time to get my hands on you and now tonight's the night where you finally get justice for your crimes. You may have beaten the courts and make a mockery out of the justice system. But there's no getting around me. Jared Blake, you have been charged with multiple counts of corruption, extortion, murder and drug trafficking. How do you plead?"

Jared held up his hands " Please don't kill me" he pleaded, no longer acting like a tough man he was perceived to be " We can make a deal. I'll give you anything you want. Anything"

" You think you can bribe or talk your way out of this? HUH! Do you think I can be bought just like the jury can? There's no getting out of this, Mr. Blake. You have been convicted and I hereby sentence you to be beaten to death" Craven snarled

At that moment, Craven let his rage and hatred for Jared take over and consume him. He repeatedly starting hitting the crowbar all over his prey's body, forcing him to beg and scream for mercy, but only to ignore his pleas as the Puppet Master's attacks grew wilder and faster with each blow

Hit after hit, Craven shattered Jared's arms, his ribs, his legs, fingers, and feet. He was like a mad man possessed with the sole purpose of causing so much pain to Jared before finally sending him to Hell. He doesn't feel remorseful, he actually enjoyed hearing Jared screaming and begging for his life 

This felt right to the Puppet Master. Giving this piece of shit exactly what he deserves by murdering him, himself. It's vindication. It's justice. He slams the crowbar down on Jared again and again and again

Jared looked up at Craven with tears in his eyes while struggling to breathe through an overwhelming amount of pain he has just received by the Puppet Master. He was truly frightened by this teenager, never believing he would meet his end so soon 

" Time to go to Hell, Mr. Blake" Craven smiled before hitting Jared's head again which effectively rendered Jared unconscious and killing him in the process

Craven repeatedly hit Jared's head until he opened up his skull with blood flying everywhere from the ground to Craven's face, his clothes and the crowbar itself. Once satisfied, the Puppet Master dragged Jared over to the Lamborghini and lifted him onto his knees slightly before pushing Jared into the backseat again 

He then pulled Jared's lifeless body further into the backseat before closing the door, he goes over to the driver's seat, opens it and turned the ignition on. Craven went around to the front of the vehicle, opened the bonnet and stands away at a healthy distance 

Craven placed the crowbar back into the left side of the hidden pocket in his trench coat. He goes to his right side and pulling out his father's loaded gun, aimed it at the engine and fired repeatedly until the car blew up 

* Flashback ends*

 

" It was on that night, I vowed to rid this country of the filth it contained" Craven smiled at his beloved weapon 

" The justice system is broken beyond repair. They weren't prepared to do what is necessary for justice, But I was more than willing to get the job done. It's what I was put on this Earth to do. The old me died in the fire with Mr. Blake and the man that I have become was born in its place"

Craven puts down the crowbar, grabbed the whiskey bottle and poured the liquid into his glass again. He places the bottle down and held up his glass " Happy Anniversary, Craven" he chuckled before drinking his whiskey


	38. Showdown

It's been two days since both Joan Ferguson and Mel Barrett have been released from the slot. Both parties have had time to prepare for what they are going to do to each other and when the fight will take place. Today is that day and much to everyone's shock, Craven is in full support of their fight and has ordered the officers to not get involved until he gives the exact word

Mel prepares for the fight of her life inside H3, punching Snortz's hands as if they were punching pads. She still isn't fearful if Ferguson does end up beating her to death because for Mel, it's all about sending a message. She's willing to die in a fight for freedom and to end the Freak's reign of terror forever

" Good shot, Mel. How about one more" Snortz encouraged her friend

Mel smiled " Absolutely" she fires punches into Snortz's hands again 

In five minutes, the time for talk is over. The Hype. The betting. It will all be over and the fight for freedom will begin. Most of the prisoners placed their bets on Ferguson winning since she's taller, faster and stronger

However, there have been some prisoners who have decided to bet against the Freak in hope, Mel will be able to do what no one else has been able to do and that is to send Ferguson straight to Hell. Before Mel and Rita's alliance was made public or even Rita challenging the Freak on her own. There was no hope for the prisoners, no one to rally around in full support to stop Ferguson

Bea Smith. Kaz Proctor. Allie Novak. Will Jackson. Franky Doyle. They've all tried on several different occasions to stop Ferguson, but they all failed, in the end, to stop her like a pack of dominos falling down onto one another

Four of them have died against the Freak, although many of the prisoners and officers are still unsure what happened to Will Jackson after his mysterious disappearance. As for Franky Doyle? Everyone was disappointed with her actions for siding with the Freak. Never in a million years did anyone think Franky would ever do that. But she did

But now everything has changed thanks to Rita and Mel's bravery. They stood up for their beliefs, got in the face of the most hated woman to ever exist and take out a couple of members from her crew. Once again giving hope to the prisoners that is most desperately needed

Mel smirked " Ferguson won't know what will hit her," she said confidently 

" Give that bitch hell" Soz smiled at Mel who leaned against the counter with her arms folded across her chest

Mel turned to her left and gave Soz a thumbs up " Don't worry, I will. I'll make Kaz and Allie even more proud. After all, I'm doing this for them"

Snortz lowered her arms " You're still not scared?" she asked in disbelief

While she didn't doubt Mel's capability to stand toe to toe with the Freak, Snortz had to wonder if Mel really did bit off more than she can chew after the incident in the dining room

Mel turned her attention back to Snortz " Nope" she pointed her index finger at her brown eyes " Do you see any fear in my eyes?"

Snortz shakes her head " Well no! I'm just worried about your safety. We've already lost Kaz and Allie, and we're still coming to terms with their deaths. If we lost you, I don't know what I, Soz or the Red Right Hand would do" she said sadly

" Eh, she'll be fine. Mel is one smart cookie. That is if you target the Freak's legs. If you damage them enough, it'll slow that cunt down. Giving Mel, the perfect opportunity to wipe Ferguson out" Soz easily dismissed any doubts of fears she has for her friend in the upcoming fight 

Mel placed her hand on Snortz's shoulder " You'll be fine and you'll help Rita in our mission to end Ferguson's reign for good. After all, Rita is the one that started the war first and she will need the Red Right Hand's help should anything happen to me" she replied

Snortz looked at Mel " Just promise me one thing"

" Anything" Mel smiled at her

Snortz's worrying gaze turned into a smile " You give it your all and try to come out of this fight in one piece"

" That I will" Mel smiled " If I don't" she takes her hand off Snortz's shoulder and wraps her arms around Snortz for a hug

" It's been a blast!"

Snortz returned Mel's affection by hugging her back, which prompt Soz to go over and hug both of them. The Red Right Hand is more than just women standing up for women's rights and protecting the weak. They are family who will always have each other's backs and being there when they need them the most

Rita Connors, who arrived quietly into H3 stands in the entrance and smiled at the Red Right Hand " It's time, Mel. Everyone's waiting for you, including Ferguson" she said

"Alright" Mel smiled at Soz and Snortz " Time to show this bitch who's boss" she turned around and left H3 alongside Rita and the Red Right Hand

Rita walked alongside Mel " You sure you're ready for this?" she asked

" I know what you're trying to do" Mel smirked at her new friend " You want to put doubts in my mind. Just so you can have the glory of taking the Freak down yourself" she then made a tsk tsk noise

Rita shakes her head " No it's not that. After what happened in the dining room and what Ferguson did to Rebecca, I'm just worried is all"

" Please" Mel scoffed " Like I'm afraid of being thrown around the yard like a ragdoll. It ain't going to happen, Rita. I may be small, but it doesn't mean I'm totally helpless. I got this nailed down to a T"

They turned down the next corridor and Mel is greeted with a few cheers and hollers from her peers

" Take that bitch down, Mel" One inmate said

" Yeah make us all proud," another inmate said

Rita cuts in front of Mel " That is not what I meant and you know it. I know you're not helpless because of your size. It's bec...."

" It's because you're worried for my welfare just like Soz and Snortz are " Mel smiled at Rita and nods " I understand and I appreciate it. I really do. But this is something that has to happen. If I die?" she shrugs " I die. As long as the message is sent that helps our cause, I'm all for it" she replied

Rita now knew for sure this is exactly what Mel wanted and there's nothing she or anyone else can do to change her mind. Never has Rita met someone so selfless and fearless as Mel before, which only expanded her admiration and respect for the leader of the Red Right Hand

Even though she would have been perfectly fine to take Ferguson on her own without needing any help, Rita is glad to have Mel as her ally

" Alright. I won't stop you anymore" Rita patted Mel's shoulder and returned to her side

The gang continued walking once again, going down several more corridors and having the screws use their keys to grant them access before finally arriving outside in the main prison yard

A large circle was formed by a group of prisoners who arrived early to get the best view for the upcoming fight, while Ferguson and the Freaks stands in the middle of the circle

Ferguson keeps her eyes trained on her two enemies very closely, her hatred for the two women began bubbling inside her very core. She hated Mel more than Rita at this point in time due to Mel's sadistic detail of how she and her thugs attacked Vera

The Freak will make this little punk pay with her life. She's going to make an example out of her so that Rita will see a taste of what's to come her way and of course to these foolish spectators to not get any ideas of challenging her either

Rebecca stands at a healthy distance from Ferguson and with good reason after being violently thrown across a table in the dining room, while Franky remained standing behind Ferguson 

The circle of prisoners broke to allow Mel and her friends to enter. Mel stormed her way over to the Freak, no longer acting laid back without a care in the world. Seeing Ferguson again has already put Mel into battle mode

Watching them high above in his office is none other than Ernest Craven, who stands in front of the window with his arms behind his back and eagerly waiting for the fight to begin 

Standing behind the barricaded fences is Ms. Miles, Tom Shepherd and a couple of other officers who were still shocked and baffled by Craven's decision to allow Mel and Ferguson to fight without any interruptions until he felt one of their lives was going to be in serious danger

Ferguson locked eyes with her tiny nemesis, while the Freaks, Rita and the Red Right Hand stood back and blended in with the crowd, not wanting to get caught up or get in the way of what's about to come

" Ready to be humiliated?" Mel asked Ferguson with a stern gaze

Ferguson scoffed at Mel's taunt " The only person who's about to be humiliated is you, Barrett. When I'm done with you, you'll be sent to the afterlife with your pathetic friends and countless other enemies who have tried stopping me"

" We'll see" Mel replied

Mel stands back and turned her body to the side, almost as if she's about to walk away. But she turns back with a balled up fist and threw it at the Freak's way. Ferguson easily blocked Mel's punch and held her hand in a firm grip

Ferguson squeezed hard on Mel's hand " Any more bright ideas?"

Mel tried breaking free from Ferguson's grip but was proved to be unsuccessful in doing so. It was almost as if she had her hand stuck in a tight hole in the middle of a boulder and desperately trying to wiggle free from it

Ferguson stared coldly at Mel " If this is the best you can do, this fight is already over" she said in utter disappointment

She pulled Mel closer to her and attempted to knock her down with a clothesline, much to her surprise though Mel easily ducked Ferguson's attack, took control of Ferguson's other arm that is still gripping her's and pulled it while standing behind the Freak

Mel capitalizes by grabbing Ferguson's ponytail and roughly yanking it back " Didn't expect this, did you? Cocky bitch" she then slams her foot into the back of Ferguson's right leg

She slams her foot onto the back of Ferguson's right leg again in order to try and weaken her, while also trying to twist and turn Ferguson's left arm to the point where it's going to break

Ferguson groaned from Mel's attack but she wasn't going to allow this young punk to get the best of her and while fighting through the pain, she uses her strength to pull Mel closer to her back and then used her right arm to reach down for Mel's shoulder

She latches onto Mel's shoulder and manages to lift her into the air, forcing Mel to release her grip and allowing Ferguson to throw Mel over her own shoulder and crashing onto the ground

Ferguson quickly grabs hold of Mel's arm, pulls on it and then slams her foot into Mel's arm and effectively breaking it. Not wanting Mel to get the best of her again 

Mel screamed in agony over her now broken right arm. Unfortunately for her though, the pain was nowhere near over. As Ferguson grabbed hold of Mel by the collar of her shirt with her arm, lifting her up slightly and began pummeling her face with multiple punches with her free hand

Ferguson scowled at her nemesis while repeatedly punching Mel's face in, seeing the horror and pain of what Vera went through just made the Freak even more angrier. She spotted Craven from the corner of her eye, which made her lift her head up and turn towards Craven's direction who smiled at her with sadistic glee

" Come on, Mel" Rita cheered her friend on in the crowd

With Ferguson's attention distracted on the Puppet Master, Mel musted up all of the blood she has been saving in her mouth and waited for the Freak turn her attention back to her. It didn't take long for Ferguson to do so and when she did, Mel released all the blood she saved which covered the Freak's face and forcing her to loosen her grip 

Mel quickly capitalizes on her opportunity to strike Ferguson, by using her own strength to swiftly headbutt the Freak as hard as she can. Ferguson released her grip and stumbled back with her vision still clearly blocked from Mel's own blood being spat onto her eyes

The one-armed leader of the Red Right Hand launched herself full force into Ferguson's stomach, which caused both parties to fall to the ground

" You may have broken one arm, but that doesn't mean I'm finished" Mel snarled while getting on top of the Freak

Mel proceeded to use her only remaining hand to attack Ferguson but is stopped dead in her tracks when Ferguson wrapped both hands around Mel's throat and squeezed it tightly

Disgusted by having her face covered in Mel's blood, Ferguson forced Mel off of her while still keeping a tight grip on her neck. Ferguson then stands up and lifted her enemy into the air

Feeling her windpipe crushing, Mel used what little of her strength she had left to defend herself by launching furious kicks into the Freak's chest and stomach, in hopes Ferguson will loosen her grip again

Ferguson hurled Mel across the yard, forcing many prisoners to depart from where they were standing so they wouldn't be caught in the crossfire

Mel landed on her broken arm before dropping to the ground on her stomach, which caused her more pain " Fuck me, I knew she was strong. But this is ridiculous" she muttered to herself

She struggled to get to her knees and was soon met with a kick across the face, forcing Mel to collapse once more

Ferguson used her foot to press onto Mel's broken arm and pushing her over to her back. She then mercilessly stomped on Mel's ribs and manages to break three of them 

Craven cackles in his office over Mel's pain and being highly impressed with Ferguson's physical strength " Good!"

" You're a lot weaker than Proctor and she actually managed to put up a decent fight" Ferguson taunted 

Mel half smiled at Ferguson while trying to fight through an overwhelming amount of pain she is currently feeling and also trying to breathe as well " It.....It doesn't.....doesn't matter. You're....." she grunted " You're days.......are numbered"

" We'll see" Ferguson replied before picking Mel up and throwing her across the yard again 

Mel landed on her back again, unable to move or fight back anymore. She now believes her life is about to come to an end and she has no regrets about making a stand against the Freak. She can die knowing she fought for a noble cause and avenging the loss of her friends

Now it's up to Rita to finish off Ferguson for good 

Ferguson towered over Mel, preparing to deliver the final blow. She reaches down and grabs hold of Mel's neck

Craven quickly pulled out his walkie talkie " This is zero one calling into zero two. You may now interfere" he now seeing the Freak about to lift Mel into the air

Without a moment too soon, Ms. Miles, Tom Shepherd, and the other screws stormed their way into the yard and breaking up the fight

" Drop her Ferguson. Now!" Tom commanded

Ferguson lifted her head up and turned towards Craven's direction again. She sees him giving her a stern look, ordering her to do as she was told

She turned her head back towards Mel, released her grip and quickly slammed her head into Mel's and knocking her out 

Mel fell back on to the ground, on her back with her arms spread apart

Ms. Miles stood in between Ferguson and Mel, holding up her walkie talkie " This is zero two calling into zero one. Do you want Ferguson to be put back into the slot?"

" Negative! Ferguson remains in the general population with her peers, since she'll be focused on taking out Connors, next. But do send Barrett to the medical unit, immediately!" Craven ordered


	39. Discovery

Tom Shepherd sat in a corner booth at a local coffee shop and with only fifteen minutes left to spare before heading into Wentworth, he patiently waited for his private detective to arrive with all the information she had on the Puppet Master

In order to gather any damaging evidence on Craven which didn't include Tom's suspicions of Craven's dealings with the Freak and his extreme methods of controlling the prison, Tom needed an outsider who could get the information in which he or very few others can't

Tom needed to have all his bases covered before he goes in guns blazing with the Governor, who has not forgotten Craven's chilling warning in which Tom will pay for trying to expose him. Interestingly enough, the Puppet Master has done nothing to live up to his promise but Tom is going to drop his guard so easily. He knows sooner or later Craven will eventually strike

Two months went by without a word from the private detective until Tom received word in which the private detective has information in which Tom may be very pleased to learn. So they set up a date and arranged to meet at a coffee shop, now he waited for her to arrive

Also, he still needed to have another talk with Scarlett after she promised to reveal her past with Craven, which will give the strong moral officer more insight into who Craven is as a person and what he is slightly capable off

Judging by the way Scarlett spoke about Craven in their last encounter, it sounded like her relationship with Craven wasn't exactly the normal father/ daughter relationship, you'd normally expect. Especially when an incident involved Scarlett cutting all ties with her father and not seeing her mother for five years, before seemingly putting the past behind them when Scarlett arrived into Wentworth

Tom already thought Craven was an asshole anyway but felt there was more to the Puppet Master than meets the eye and wanted to know everything single thing about what this man has done before making his move. He still had a hard time getting over the fight between Ferguson and Mel, and Craven's full support on the matter

Never in all his years of working in corrections has Tom seen a Governor acting so reckless where he allowed two prisoners to not only fight in public but also allowing them to endanger the other person. It was disgusting and irresponsible. Yet, Craven is still the Governor and the board thinks his shit doesn't stink

Hopefully, when the private detective arrives with enough information, the board will see things differently and immediately end Craven's career in corrections

Just outside of the coffee shop a black Nissan car pulled up to the parking lot. Stepping outside of the car, carrying a folder under her left arm is Tom's private detective. She stands at 5 FT 9, she had long dark hair which tied into a ponytail and skin so pale she could easily be mistaken for a vampire

The private detective wore a waterfall black leather jacket with a dark green shirt underneath, light blue jeans and thick high heel brown lace-up boots. She presses the automatic lock for her car and makes her way inside like a woman on a mission delivering important news to the Prime Minister

She steps inside the coffee shop and scans the area for her client. She sees Tom sat at the back of the room in one of the booths, looking out at the window. She turns and started making her way over to Tom, making small " click" noises with her boots

" Mr. Shepherd"

Tom tilted his head towards his right and sees his private detective standing in front of him " Oh hi" he gets up and shakes her hand " Thank you for coming" he beckoned for her to sit down " Please sit"

The private detective nodded and sits down, laying her folder down on the table 

" It wasn't easy getting any information on Ernest Craven that didn't include the normality of his occupation. He appears to be very methodical at keeping any secrets he may have, locked away" She looked at Tom " Lucky for you, I know one of Mr. Craven's old associates at Walford and they gave me a detailed history of Craven's reign there" she informed

Tom's eyes glanced at the folder in front of him, his hands immediately touching it " May I?" looking back at the private detective

" Of course. It is what you paid me for. I have to warn you, Mr. Shepherd. Craven is not your ordinary Governor. Some of the things I've heard from my contact, the rumors of what allegedly went on in Walford" The private investigator shakes her head in disbelief

A male waiter went over to their table " Anything to drink, Madam?" he asked her while holding a pen and notepad in hand 

" Vanilla Latte, please" The private detective answered him

The waiter nodded " Very good" turning to Tom " And you, sir?" asks Tom for a second time, since Tom told the waiter when he first walked in, he'll wait 

Tom looked at the waiter " Hot chocolate to go, please"

The waiter nodded, writing their orders down on his notepad and walking away from the table 

" I'll get these" Tom offered as he opened the folder, which showed him documents, incident reports and newspaper clippings

The private detective watched Tom reading over the documents very carefully " It's beyond anything I ever thought I would find when you asked me to look into your employer's past with Walford."

Tom read an incident report when Craven had allegedly tortured an inmate while in solitary which involved whips, knife cuts, and a taser, while also subjecting the inmate to psychological and emotional abuse

As Tom read further and further into the report, which absolved Craven of any wrongdoing and the inmate had lied in order to crave attention, it made him sick to his stomach and felt chills running down his spine. He knew Craven was bad but didn't know just how bad 

He turned the page which included the investigation itself, a tribunal hearing and an incident where the inmate in question eventually committed suicide due to an overdose

" This is.......this is" Tom couldn't find the right words to describe what he was reading

He reads over several more incidents which had Craven set up a fight club for the prisoners to bet against the participants and to strengthen his control

" These reports your reading, Mr. Shepherd. These are true" The private detective confirmed " My contact in Walford assured me and stated Craven manipulated the law in order for him to appear he was a victim for only doing his job, while the inmates lied because Craven wouldn't play by their rules. He treated his prisoners in Walford as if they were pawns. A game"

Tom turned his attention onto the private detective " We need to take this to the police. Now. Call whoever is working at Walford and asked them to give testimony"

" I'm afraid I can't do that" The private detective shakes her head

Tom frowned at her " Why the hell not? If all of this is true" his hand laid on top of the opened folder " If you're telling me this is exactly what Craven has done, he needs to be locked up. He can't be allowed to get away with this. He's already got his hands clawed in Wentworth by aligning with Joan Ferguson which resulted in more several deaths"

" I'm not surprised they've joined forces. They are as bad as each other, Craven and Ferguson that is" The private detective replied

" But no" she leaned forward in her seat " Craven has forced my contact and the prisoners of Walford into silence through fear and intimidation. Besides, without proof or anyone willing to make a stand as your trying to accomplish. There's nothing you can do and I promised my contact won't be called into questioning"

Tom kept his gaze on her " Then let me talk to your contact. I'll convince them, they shouldn't let Craven take control of their lives and abuse the prisoners in his care. Just give me their number" he said as he closes the folder

" No" The private detective shakes her head again " I'm more than happy to leave the folder with you, but if you want to take this freak on. You'll be doing it alone"

Tom sighs out of frustration " Fine! Want something done right, do it yourself" he removes the folder from the table and places it into his lap " Besides I've already had Craven's daughter reaching out to me. Although she doesn't know what her father has done, something has happened which made them not see each other for five years. Maybe I can get her to help me expose Craven" he said folding his arms 

" Do you really think that is a good idea? What if you risk her life should Craven discover your plan?" The private detective asked him 

Before Tom could answer her, the waiter returned to their table with their drinks, which prompted them to go into temporary silence. He places Tom's hot chocolate cup down in front of him first, then hands the woman her vanilla latte

" Thank you" The private detective grabbed her cup and places it down in front of her 

The waiter walked away once more 

" Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. Scarlett is my only link into discovering the truth about Craven and hopefully uncover his ongoing crimes in Wentworth with Ferguson" Tom replied to her

The private detective nodded " I wish you the best of luck in your fight to expose Craven, but I'm afraid this is where we part ways" she held out her hand 

" Thank you" Tom shakes her hand " You'll be paid as soon as I've finished work" he pulls out his wallet and leaving twenty-five dollars on the table before stuffing his wallet back in his pocket

Tom uses one hand to grab onto his cup of hot chocolate and uses the other to hold onto the file. He stands up, says goodbye to the private detective and headed outside towards his own car

Now that he has information on Craven's crimes in Walford, Tom has a much clearer understanding of his enemy and vows to not only expose him in Wentworth but to also find this mystery contact in Walford and persuade them to help him

Tom places the folder into the back seat, shuts the door, hops in the driver's seat and starts the car and making his way towards Wentworth

* * * *

Kim Chang left her cell in H3 to go for a little wonder down the corridors in hopes it'll take her mind off the horrific abuse she endured from Craven in solitary. She hasn't been sleeping very well, always having nightmares of the Puppet Master returning to torture her again and again

Plus suffering psychological and emotional abuse along with insults that pretty much crushed what was left of Kim's self-esteem before being sent to the slot. She lives in total fear of this man and feeling exhausted all the time

She can't talk to anyone about her experiences or what she's going through in fear of what the Puppet Master may do to her if she spilled the beans. Perhaps Craven might end up beating her to death if Kim spoke. Not even the Freak went to his levels to put everyone in line when she was the Governor

Craven is like a different monster compared to Ferguson. A monster who will go to any extremes to keep his prison under control, while sadistically enjoying tormenting and abusing the prisoners who he vowed to help rehabilitate back into society one day.

Every waking hour, Kim always sees Craven watching her, laughing at her and even smiling. He was no doubt the legendary boogeyman where kids used to trade stories with each other in order to get a fright out of the other

Kim walked down the corridors very slowly with her head lowered, while trying to scan for any signs of the Puppet Master lurking around

" You're nothing but a disgusting vile prisoner. You deserve everything you get. You prisoners are all alike, led astray by your own pride"

Those are some of the words Craven would often say to Kim during their time in the basement in order to show how superior he is and forcing Kim to accept what was happening to her is, what she rightfully deserved

Kim fought back the urge to cry for the one-hundredth time, she was so sick of crying over her ordeal but this just shows the level of power Craven has over her. He enjoyed breaking her physically, psychologically and emotionally

She started power walking as visions of Craven's appeared as every prisoner and officer that was passing her by. Kim had to get as far away as she can possibly can from him, so she won't have to suffer any more abuse from her tormenter

When Kim turned a corner, she immediately bumps into Franky Doyle who was also wandering around on her own and needed a break from Ferguson and Rebecca.

Not knowing it was Franky right away, Kim back away " I'm sorry Governor. It..it won't happen again. Please don't send me back" she lifted her head with tears now running down her cheeks " Oh, Franky. Sorry. I'm so sorry"

" You alright Kim?" Franky stared worryingly at her

Kim nodded frantically " Yeah I'm good. Just had a bad dream is all. Ah I got to go" she walks past Franky but stopped when she felt Franky grabbing her arm

She turned to Franky 

" You can talk to me, Kim. You know that right? I know things between us haven't been great lately. Mostly because I was such a bitch to you, but I do consider you as a friend. And I think we know it's more than just a bad dream" Franky said to Kim as she lets go of her arm 

Kim wiped away her tears " Trust me, Franky. I'm fine and you don't need to apologize. I'm alright, really. Just need a good night's rest. Thank you for being concerned about me though" she turned around and quickly walked away 

Franky was left confused, worried and also intrigued to find out what was really the cause of Kim's problems and why she thought Franky was Craven for a second. Whatever it was, Franky has made it her mission to get to the bottom of it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raven Logan returns in the next chapter


	40. Home Sweet Home

Raven Logan stands in front of a mirror in a bathroom of one of the hospital rooms she had been occupying for over a month, after recovering from a deep stab wound which was inflicted by Rita during their fight in the shower block

Today is the day where Raven can finally return home to not exact revenge on her enemy, but also reunite with Rebecca and the Freaks. Raven has been waiting a long time for the moment when the doctor gave her a clean bill of health. For weeks she had been confined to a room and doing nothing, while an officer was stationed to supervise her

But no more. Raven will be able to return to Wentworth to roam around as she pleases and plan for the rematch. The way Rita humiliated her in battle was unforgivable by Raven's standards, she should have been able to wipe the floor with this rookie upstart. Yet! Raven allowed her emotions to get the best of her, which in turn made her look like a complete idiot 

Raven remembered the pain she endured by getting stabbed with a shiv which was meant for Rita. She places her hand underneath her white tank top and onto where her stab wound used to be

 

* Flashback*

Raven sees her shiv laying just outside the shower cubicle, she rolls over to her stomach and crawls over to the shiv

" I wouldn't If I were you" Rita warned as she caught a glimpse of Raven crawling over to where the shiv was from the corner of her right eye

Raven no longer listened to reason as her wounded pride got the better of her. She had been humiliated by a nobody in a fight and wasn't going to allow her to walk away with a few bruises

No! She wanted to kill Rita and that is exactly what she is going to do. Raven firmly grasp the shiv into her hand, stands up, scowls at her nemesis and charges towards her

Rita drops her belongings and grabbed hold of Raven's hand with the shiv, raises it in the air and knees Raven's stomach so hard it caused her to loosen her grip on the weapon. Rita grabs the shiv and uses it to stab Raven's stomach

She sees Raven's shocked expression but Rita didn't really care, as she takes the shiv out stabbed the blade deeper into Raven's stomach

Raven collapses to the floor, groans and spits blood out of from her mouth, as she placed her hand over her stab wound to put pressure on stopping the bleeding that is currently leaking out

Rita picks up her towel, to wipe away the blood on her face, her clothes and toiletries again. She then walks over to the panic button beside the door and presses it " Don't ever come near me or Nicole again" she warned as she left Raven alone for the screws to deal with

* Flashback ends*

 

Raven growled in anger at her humiliating defeat which prompts her to slam her fist into the mirror and giving it a large crack in the middle 

" Oi! Are you done in there, Logan? We haven't got all day, you know" a female officer said while waiting patiently for Raven to come out of the bathroom 

Raven sighs " Just a second" she grabs her hair, pulls it back and tied it into a long ponytail " I'm coming out now. You happy?" giving the officer attitude as she opened the door and stepped out from the bathroom in her teal uniform 

" Don't get smart with me or do you want to spend your first day back in the slot" The officer warned Raven

Raven smiled at her " No" shaking her head " No I don't want that. But I hate being rushed"

She held out her arms in order to be handcuffed again

" Just shut it" the female officer replied as she placed the handcuffs on Raven's wrists and locking them in tightly

The officer grabs Raven by her arm and escorts her out of the room and down the corridor. A middle-aged male patient stood outside his room, wanting to get a good look at Raven before she left the hospital. Only because he had never seen an inmate coming in and out of the hospital before 

Raven sees the male patient looking at her, as she passes him by " Take a picture, honey. It'll last longer" giving him an eyewink before disappearing down another corridor

" If you're thinking about revenge, Logan. I wouldn't try it. Connors has been locked into a battle with the Freak for control over Wentworth. Not only that but Connors teamed up with Barrett which sent Bennett to this exact hospital. Although Barrett is out of commission in medical, after her fight with Ferguson three days ago" the officer informed as they stand by the elevators and waited for one to reach their floor

Raven turned to the officer " Is that so?" she smiled at this recent development " Seems Connors is a bit of a player. No matter, I'm sure Joan will crush her when the time is right" she said confidently 

Although she secretly hopes for when she returns, Ferguson will give Raven a bit of leeway and allow her to get revenge on Rita. After all, it is what has kept Raven going during her recovery. A chance to do to her, what Rita did to her and then some

Never again will Raven be humiliated or allow her emotions to cloud her judgment

" You've been warned. Regardless of what happens or what your possibly thinking" the female officer said to Raven 

The elevator finally reaches their floor with the doors automatically opening for them. The officer steps inside with Raven presses a button and waited to be taken down to the ground floor 

A few seconds later they reached the ground floor. The officer grabbed Raven's arm again, escorting her out of the hospital and back into the Wentworth transfer van. When Raven received help by getting in the back, she takes her seat and watches the doors close and lock her in 

The officer hops into the driver's seat starts the van and drove away from the hospital 

While she waited to arrive at her destination, Raven started to dream and think of all sorts of ways, where she can pay Rita back for the pain and humiliation she caused her. She thinks about repeatedly stabbing her enemy's body with a shiv, before turning the thought of breaking Rita's bones as she did to her uncle before beating him to death 

Raven smiled at the remembrance of avenging the loss of her innocence and the little girl inside her by killing her uncle in cold blood for touching her. Not once has Raven felt guilty or remorse for her actions, she felt it was justice for what happened to her 

Her family, of course, were horrified by Raven's actions and learning that she had been molested. They didn't know a thing until Raven revealed her tragic story and how she methodically planned her revenge. This, in turn, caused her family to turn their backs on Raven and leave her to rot in Wentworth, despite the fact she was just a victim of sexual of abuse

Being disowned by her family caused Raven a great amount of rage and pain. She couldn't understand why any family would turn their backs on one of their own, even if they crossed the line and ended up behind bars for what had happened to them

But it doesn't matter now, Raven has surrounded herself with the likes of Rebecca, Franky, Vera, and Ferguson, who accept her for who she is, and Raven no longer cared or gave her biological family a single thought

Raven sees an image of Rita staring back at her with a cocky smile on her stupid face

" Just you wait, Rita. I'll wipe that smug look off your face soon enough" Raven vowed

Fifteen minutes later, the Wentworth van finally reaches their destination and pulls up at the prisoner entrance. The officer turns off the ignition, takes the van key out and hops out of her seat. She shuts the door and walked around to the back of the van

When the officer opened the doors, a bright flash of daylight shun through which caused Raven to hold up her arms to protect her eyes, since she was kept in the darkness of the van for fifteen minutes

" Welcome home, Raven," the officer said 

Raven stands up and slowly made her way towards the officer, she lowered her arms now that he daylight was no longer affecting her eyesight and jumps out of the van. She turned around and stares at the prisoner entrance

" Home sweet home" Raven smiled fondly

The officer escorts Raven inside the building, going down a corridor where a few inmates are the first to witness the return of Ferguson's enforcer, the baddest bitch in Wentworth. Raven smiled before led outside again, passing through the main prison yard

" Look who's back," One inmate said as she spotted Raven passing through

Nicole Linus, who sat at one of the picnic benches reading a book, looked up and sees Raven staring back at her. Nicole's heart sinks at the sight of her attacker, despite Rita's promises to keep her safe should Raven try to come after her again 

Raven smiles Nicole and gave her a brief nod before being led back inside Wentworth again


	41. Counterattack Part One

Oh no! She's back. Raven is back and from the way she was smiling at me, it appears she isn't done with me by a long shot, Nicole thought 

Nicole began to panic at the thought of running into Ferguson's enforcer again. Rita may have warned Raven to say away from her and Nicole, but the young blonde always had thoughts of the possibility where Raven may come after her again just to get to Rita

After all, it was Rita who bested Raven in battle and made her look like a complete fool. There's no doubt in Nicole's mind, why Raven wouldn't have these thoughts about targeting her again and receive another beating 

" Better leave. Before she decides to pay me a visit" Nicole muttered to herself

Nicole closes the book she was reading, she stands up from her seat at the picnic bench, picks up her book and places it under her right arm. She proceeds to walk back inside and power walk her way over to her unit

She shouldn't be afraid of the woman or doubt Rita's capabilities in protecting her. Rita has proven her loyalty and friendship towards her. And yet, Nicole still fears Raven after her last encounter with Ferguson's enforcer in the shower block

The way Raven man handled Nicole, pinning her to the wall, throwing her to the ground and proceeded to give her a beating is something the innocent inmate will never forget. All Nicole wanted was for Raven to call her by her real name and give the same respect as Nicole had given with Raven 

Instead, she has been met with a beating and how Raven said Nicole needed to be taught a lesson in Wentworth since she's a newbie. For Nicole, it's like she was being transported back to when she was a little girl attending primary where she was hounded by bullies with one who looked similar to Raven for her lunch money 

Why her? What did she do to her former bullies and to Raven? All Nicole is to anybody who knew her, is a sweet girl with a lot of heart and compassion. She just wanted everyone to get along and not resort to hurting one another 

Unfortunately for Nicole, she had to learn the hard way that the world is a cruel place with people who are willing to hurt, kill, manipulate and step their way over others to get what they want. Nicole tried putting up a tougher front with Raven, insisting to be called by her real name and not a cheap useless nickname 

And look what happened to her afterward

Maybe if I stay in my unit and do whatever takes to ensure she doesn't see me, Raven will get bored and move on. Nicole thought 

Nicole kept up the pace by moving down from corridor to corridor as fast as she can while trying not to accidentally bump into the officers or the prisoners she passed by. When she turned down the corridor which would have led her straight to H1, her worst fear of bumping into Raven again came true

" Woah, easy there Nikki" Raven smiled at Nicole 

After Raven reached this side of Wentworth, the officer removed her handcuffs and was free to do as she pleased again. The first thing Raven did was to return to H5 and surprise her friends. Unfortunately, Ferguson and the others were nowhere to be found, so Raven set off to find them until bumping into Nicole 

Nicole backed away from Raven " Wel....welcome back, Raven. I'm sorry for bumping into you" she said while feeling her heart beating a second faster than normally

" I'll be on my way now" Nicole attempted to walk past Raven but is immediately blocked in doing so when Raven placed her hand on Nicole's chest and brought her back to where she was originally standing 

Raven continued smiling at the young blonde " Not so fast, Nikki. I want a word with you" she turned around and wrapped her arm around Nicole's shoulder " Surely you can give me a few minutes"

" Of course I can" Nicole replied with a nod

They proceeded to walk slowly together down the corridor, acting to anyone who saw them as if they had made up and were now the best of friends

" I had a long time to think about what I did to you while recovering from a nasty wound, your pal Rita inflicted on me," Raven said with a hint of anger 

Nicole eyed Raven " I didn't ask her to get involved or do anything" 

She felt more and more uncomfortable now that Raven has her arm around her shoulder. Nicole now believed Raven is about to lure her back to the shower block and dish out another round of pain 

" Aye!" Raven stopped both of them from walking, removed her arm from Nicole's shoulder and turned to her " Relax, Nikki. Relax. I'm not here for any kind of payback or to bash you" she said truthfully as her smile faded 

Nicole raised an eyebrow " Re....really?" she stuttered

"Absolutely" Raven replied " What I did to you was wrong. All you wanted is for me to address you by your proper name or at least an appropriate nickname like Nikki. Am I right?"

The young naive inmate nodded

" You had every right to ask that from me. There is no excuse or a good reason for me to have done what I did to you. It was childish and pathetic. For that, I am truly sorry for bashing you" Raven said honestly

Nicole widens her eyes in astonishment, she couldn't believe what she was hearing from Ferguson's enforcer. An apology. An honest and sincere apology. This is certainly wasn't what she was expecting, but she wasn't complaining either 

The fact Raven had gone out of her way to apologize to Nicole, instead of terrorizing her even further and give another bash spoke volumes to the young blonde

Raven could have easily been extra nasty to Nicole and make her life a living hell, but she didn't. Perhaps her fight with Rita and recovering in the hospital, caused Raven to rethink her attitude and change her character a little bit 

" I would like for us to be civil from here on out. Maybe even be friends. Who knows" Raven shrugged her shoulders " So how about it, Nikki. Let bygones be bygones" holding out her hand

Nicole looked down at Raven's hand and gladly shakes her hand " Bygones be bygones" she smiled at Ferguson's enforcer " Thank you" no longer feeling discomfort around Raven 

" When I saw you out there looking at me, I thought for sure, you were going to come after me again to get to Rita"

Raven laughed amusingly " I have that look, don't I? A tough bad bitch exterior, but underneath I'm a decent woman" she shakes her head " No! Attacking you again wouldn't serve any purpose. There's just no point" she said

" What about Rita?" Nicole asked Raven " Are you going to apologize or make up with her as well"

Raven smiled at Nicole " Maybe. Maybe not" her smile faded again " I just came to make amends and to inform you, you don't have to worry about me again. We're cool. As for Rita and me?" she shrugs her shoulders twice

"We'll see"

Nicole nodded " Fair enough, I suppose. Thank you again" she moved past Raven again, but only to be pulled back to her original standing position 

" Hold up" Raven stared at Nicole " Before you go. Do you know where Ferguson, Rebecca or even Franky are? I looked in H5 but they weren't there"

Nicole shakes her head " I honestly don't know, Raven" she thought about it for a moment " Although, I did see Ferguson and Rebecca briefly in the yard. They were talking about something" she shrugged " I don't know what, but they eventually left" she answered

" I see" Raven nodded " Maybe someone in the yard can tell me where they went. Nice chatting with you, Nikki" she walked past Nicole and proceeded to make her way out to the yard

Nicole smiled while watching Raven leave " Nice chatting with you two" feeling relieved she'll no longer be a target

Her opinion on Raven being a yard bully has now changed. At first, when Nicole saw Raven, she viewed her as a strong woman but with a personality of a violent thug, who didn't give a shit who she bullied or hurt

Now that Raven has shown a more humble and decent side to her personality, Nicole easily respected Ferguson's enforcer for that. No longer viewing Raven as a thug or a bully, but wondered why she aligned herself with the Freak 

Nicole soon shrugs and dismisses her curiosity of Raven being a member of Ferguson's crew, viewing it as a simple case of - it is what it is. She decided to continue making her way back to her unit, just so she could put her book way and maybe see what Rita is up to 

She walked and walked and walked, before finally standing outside of the entrance to her unit, which appeared to be empty. No matter. Perhaps Liz and Boomer are already hanging out with Rita

Nicole enters her unit and proceeded to make her way over to her cell, which is located on the opposite end from Rita's, but as she neared her cell, Nicole spotted a note on the table and decided to see what it had read instead

She stands at the table, places her book down, holds up the note and read it

 

Nikki, meet me in the kitchen. I have a surprise for you

\- Rita 

 

" Interesting! I wonder what Rita's surprise is" Nicole muttered

Instead of placing her book back in her cell, the naive inmate left her book where it was and dropped the note, turned in the opposite direction and left H1. Nicole headed down the corridors again, wondering what Rita had in store for her, and why Rita wanted to meet with her in the kitchen. It must be something big if Rita wanted for them to meet in the kitchen instead of their unit or anywhere else

Nicole simply thought nothing of it and quickly made her way over to the dining room. Once there, she entered through the doors, turned to her left and walked over to the kitchen area 

" I'm here Rita. What's the big surprise?" Nicole asked with a smile

No response

Nicole stepped into the kitchen and looked around for where her friend could be " Rita?"

It appears as though the kitchen area is completely empty with no sight of Rita, despite leaving a note for Nicole to specifically meet her here. Nicole decided to wander around the room to find her friend

" You're not preparing to jump from around the corner and give me a big fright are you?" Nicole asked

No response

" Because I don't like those kinds of surprises"

Nicole started to feel unease again with the silence becoming almost deafening in the room. There was still no sight of Rita, and she wondered if she was being pranked by her. She obviously didn't like it when there was no response to anything she had said when arriving 

It almost felt like one of those horror/ thriller movies to Nicole, being in a room where you were supposed to meet with someone or saw something, and nothing happens until you least suspect it 

" If you are here come out now or I'm leaving" Nicole scanned the area 

She sighed " Fine. I'm leaving"

At that moment, she heard the sounds of pots and pans crashing to the floor over in the storage room. Nicole decided to bravely make her way over to the room, thinking Rita might have fallen or if she was attacked by Ferguson and the Freaks 

" Are you o" Nicole paused mid-sentence when she stands in the doorway, expecting to find Rita, but only for the storage room to be completely empty with pots and pans lying on the ground 

Just as Nicole is about to turn around and leave when suddenly a hand covered her mouth while the other is used to wrap around Nicole's chest and preventing her from escape. Nicole squealed with her eyes turned towards her grabber, which turned out to be none other than Rebecca Widmore

Rebecca smiled at Nicole " Surprise Bitch"

Nicole squealed once more before being shoved into the storage room with Rebecca stepping inside and closing the door behind her


	42. Counterattack Part Two

Rita Connors turned the shower tap off and stepped outside of her cubicle, she grabs her towel which hangs on a hook along with her toiletries and went over to a bench where she neatly folded her teal uniform 

She dries herself down and begins putting her clothes back on. Now that Mel is out of commission in the medical unit following her fight with Ferguson, it's all down to Rita to finish what they started. Rita is the women's last savior to finally put a stop to the Freak and her reign of terror for good

Rita knew what is expected of her when she finally comes face to face with Ferguson for control over Wentworth's future. But can she do it? Can she cross the line and take another person's life? All Rita wanted is to be a protector, not a killer

But this is Ferguson she's facing. A woman who has caused so much destruction and pain for everyone in Wentworth. A woman who is willing to go the extra mile, in order to be one step ahead of her enemies and breaking them on a psychological level. A woman who is more than willing these days to murder in cold blood

The stories Rita heard from the prisoners were horrific, to say the least, and how Ferguson is portrayed as an invincible and all-powerful entity. Rita will give credit where credit is due, she's never known or heard of a woman or anyone, in general, that has come back from impossible situations such as Ferguson did

Whether it was being sent to a mental institution, surviving a fire in which she started, gang-raped, lynched and coming back from being buried alive. There seems to be no end to the Freak's will in order to dominate all those around her and be in control of every aspect in life

Rita didn't like Ferguson one bit but in certain aspects, she did respect the Freak. She also knew how important her role is for all her peers who have all turned and looked up to her, to be their knight and shining armor. Saving them from a woman who's basically evil incarnate

When that day comes for when they square off, Rita vows to do everything in her power to not only defeat Ferguson but also ensure she can never again have another opportunity to exact revenge and regain power. Rita doesn't want to resort to murder unless she had no other choice and was forced to cross that line from protector to murderer

Once Rita finished changing back into her teal uniform, she places her towel over her shoulder, grabs her toiletries and leaves the shower block, making her way back to H1. Rita also has plans to visit Mel this afternoon in medical and see how she's coping with her injuries

After Mel's fight with Ferguson in the yard, along with the injuries she sustained it's a miracle she wasn't transferred to the hospital as Vera and Raven did previously. Despite losing, Rita is still impressed with Mel's capabilities in standing against the Freak. A woman facing someone twice her size and basically not giving a shit about it 

That's Mel for you. Once she's set her mind to something, there's nothing you can do to change her mind or deter her confidence. Rita also wanted to see Mel because she trusted her judgment and wanted advice on the best possibility of stopping Ferguson without needing to murder her

Three minutes later, Rita arrives in her unit which still appeared to be completely empty when Nicole Linus previously arrived. Rita headed over to her cell, she goes in, places her bag of toiletries on the top shelf where usually a TV would be sitting if not for Craven's harsh rules. Rita also folded up her towel and placed it on the bottom shelf of her table

" Now to see, Mel" Rita muttered when she left her cell 

As she started to leave H1, Rita spotted a note laid out on the table. She didn't think anything of it first and was going to leave it for Nicole, Boomer or Liz until she spotted her name on it which made head over to the table instead of leaving H1

Rita sees the note and picks it up. Like Nicole who spotted a similar note with her name on it, the one in which Rita was holding was meant for her and it is the exact opposite of the first note 

 

Rita, meet me in the kitchen. I have a surprise for you, something I think you'll really enjoy

\- Nikki 

 

" Hmmm. Interesting" Rita said as she placed the note back down on the table 

" I wonder what Nicole has planned"

Rita decided to hold off on visiting Mel for now, just so she can see what surprise Nicole has in store for her and why she wanted them to meet in the kitchen. Whatever it is, it must be something huge for her, if Nicole wanted for both of them to meet alone in the kitchen, instead of waiting to tell her in their unit 

Without a moment too soon, Rita turned away from the table and left her unit, making her way down the corridors and head over to the dining room. Along the way, Rita is greeted with smiles from the other prisoners, high fiving them and hearing cheers for her to take Ferguson down and become the next Top Dog

Rita enjoyed the support and love she was getting from the prisoners. While she wasn't at all concerned in being popular, it felt empowering her to be put in this position as a hero and the last bit of hope the prisoners have. Should Rita fail, there's no doubt in anyone's mind in which there will never be another challenger for the Freak to take on, and they will be forced to live under the miserable system in which Ferguson has put for them 

Plus Rita love the nickname she's been christened with - Rita The Beater

It suited her since she was a fighter and wasn't willing to go down without giving everything a hundred percent. Also, it was because Rita took down not one, but two of Ferguson's cronies in a convincing fashion

Rita smiled and nodded at her peers before turning down the next corridor which led her straight over to the dining room, she opens the doors and enters swiftly into the room like a cool breeze of wind

She scanned the room " Nicole?"

No response

Rita turned towards her left and headed into the kitchen, where there was still no sign of her friend, despite the fact Nicole said specifically said in the note to meet in this exact room. The fearless hero wanders around, scanning her surroundings 

" Nikki? Come out. Come out. Where ever you are"

No response

Rita noticed the door to the storage room had been left opened and assumed Nicole was in there for whatever particular reason " You alright Nikki?" she asked while approaching the area 

She now stands in the doorway, her eyes immediately glanced down at the pile of pots and pans laying on the ground. She soon notices a pair of feet in the corner of the room, with little drops of blood. Rita's eyes now locked onto the corner of the room, slowly lifting her head and seeing a gruesome sight 

Rita sees a battered and bruised Nicole with cuts to her faces, tears running down her cheeks and Rebecca Widmore who stands behind Nicole with one hand over Nicole's mouth, while the other held her stomach 

" NIKKI!!"

Rita sees Ferguson standing behind her from the corner of her eye, she goes to turn her head and the Freak strikes by placing a needle into Rita's neck and injecting her with roofies. Ferguson takes the needle out and wraps her arm around her enemy's neck 

" Rita Connors. The protector of women" Ferguson said mockingly 

Rita tried to break free from the Freak's grasp but was unable to, due to the effects of whatever was injected into her system which caused her to lose feeling and strength in both her arms and legs

Ferguson held Rita tightly and forced her enemy to look over at Nicole's battered sight " This is what happens to those that dare to defy me. This is what happens when you push me, Connors. You'll bring death and misery to all who associate themselves with you" she said coldly 

Rita tried fighting the effects of what Ferguson injected her with but the more she fought, the effects of this drug grew stronger and stronger within her. There was no possible way of fighting it, while her eyes were forced onto Nicole and to hear what else Ferguson has to say 

" You and Barrett thought you were so clever in forming an alliance, didn't you?" Ferguson asked Rita coldly " You thought you had a chance to take me down by going after the one person on this world, I loved. Both of you thought it would be enough to make me emotionally unstable, just as Smith previously did by using the memory of Jianna against me. DIDN'T YOU" she snarled

Rebecca smiled while keeping a tight hold over Nicole " It was so easy luring the both of you here at different times. I had my doubts, but I should have known better than to question Joan"

Rita could no longer speak or respond to Ferguson and Rebecca, the effects of the roofies in her system prevented her from doing so. She now thought this was it for her, Ferguson tricked her and now she was going pay the price 

" Don't you see Connors? I can't be beaten. No matter what you or Mel do to me, I will always come back. I've been raped, I was sent to a mental institution, I was trapped in a fire in which I started. I was buried alive, Rita. Buried Alive. No one would have been able to come back from that, but I did. You know why? I serve the Greater Good. Do you know what the Greater Good is? It's me being in control of every single one of your pathetic lives. You need me to keep you all in line. Without me to guide you. You're nothing but filthy pigs!"

Rita no longer tried to fight back, all she could hope for now is for Ferguson to finish her off, just so she could stop hearing the Freak's insane beliefs of there being a greater good and a need for control. Her eyes grew heavily on her, almost to the point where she is about to fall asleep

" I could kill you right now. End this little game of ours but I won't. I want you to suffer as you've never suffered before. I will dismantle you, piece by piece. Emotionally, psychologically and physically. I want you to feel the effects of your actions as I break you and the ones you care about the most. Then when you beg for death, then and only then will I give it you" Ferguson vowed while staring coldly at Rita

Rita's vision became more blurry to the point where she no longer could open her eyes, she could no longer hear Ferguson's promise to make her life a living hell. She was now left alone in the darkness and waiting for a bright light to come and save her

Satisfied with her attack on Nicole and promises of what Rita should expect to come, Ferguson releases her hold over Rita, forcing her enemy to collapse onto the pile of pots and pans on the ground 

Nicole looked down at her fallen friend and feared the worst

" You may now release her, Widmore" Ferguson turned her attention onto Rebecca

Rebecca nodded and releases her hold over Nicole, which allowed the terrified blonde to collapse to her knees and crawl beside Rita

" Rita!.....Rita!!" Nicole cried

Ferguson sighs " Connors is not dead, Linus. I've injected her with a small dose of Rohypnol, she'll be out cold for a few minutes and she will wake up" she looked back at Rebecca " Let's go. Give them some privacy"

Rebecca nods and steps over Nicole " No hard feelings, aye Nikki?" she smiled at her 

" Go to Hell!" Nicole hissed at her

Rebecca frowned and uses the back of her hand to knock Nicole to the ground " Remember your place, Nikki" she then proceeded to leave the kitchen along with Ferguson


	43. Painful Past

Scarlett Craven sits on her bed inside her cell with her back pressed up against the wall, waiting patiently for Tom to arrive to escort her over to the boiling room. She promised to tell the seemingly oblivious officer about her past with Craven if they agreed to talk in private in the dead of the night. Since she didn't want anyone listening in or make assumptions about her and Tom being in some sort of a relationship

She is determined to get whatever information Tom may have on her father by the end of their little chat. Craven asked her the other day if Tom has said anything in regards to him, in which Scarlett said no. But is wearing Tom down to the point where he won't suspect a thing from her 

It didn't matter if Scarlett felt Tom wasn't jealous of Craven's position and was looking to take his place as the next Governor, Tom is still spreading vicious lies about her father and that was all she needed to know. No one crosses the Craven family and lives to tell about it. Scarlett will find out what she needs to know, report it to her father and then began the final stages of Tom's downfall

Scarlett also hoped Craven will be proud of her and receive recognition from him, something in which the troublemaker had spent most of her childhood and early teens in trying to accomplish. Whether Scarlett would like to admit it or not, she craved for Craven's approval. Even if she pretended she didn't, she needed his approval and praise

And when Craven would give her what she wanted, everything was well in Scarlett's world. She would feel pleased and happy with herself, but when Craven felt it wasn't enough he would make sure she knew how he felt. That was also another reason which leads to Craven and Scarlett cutting ties with each other for the past five years because it got too much for Scarlett in the end

Even though they've resolved their differences, Scarlett needed to hear it from Craven one more time. Just to hear his praises for the work she did in helping him secure his position as the Governor of Wentworth

Scarlett hears the sound of the barred gate in her unit opening with a rattle " He's here" she smiled

She soon heard footsteps making their way over to her cell. The door opens and Tom Shepherd stands in the doorway 

" My my. Isn't this an unexpected pleasure" Scarlett smirked at him 

Tom smiled back " Governor wants a word with you"

" What does dear old daddy want with me?" Scarlett asked Tom 

Tom shrugs his shoulders " Don't know but must something important, if he wants to speak to you at this hour"

" Very well" Scarlett rolled her eyes " Like I don't have a choice" she gets off her bed and stands up

" Lead the way, Mr. Shepherd"

Tom nodded and beckoned for the devious troublemaker to follow him, in which she does and nodded back at him. In order to throw off any suspicion on Tom's late arrival and to throw Ferguson or anyone else in H5 off guard if they were listening, Tom and Scarlett came up with a clever alibi of Craven wanting to speak with his daughter

Once Scarlett and Tom found themselves standing outside of H5, Tom slides the barred gate over the unit and uses his swipe key to lock it in place. They then began making their way to the boiler room down the corridors 

" How are you doing on this fine evening, Mr. Shepherd? Is my dad giving you and the officers grief over the fight between Ferguson and Mel?" Scarlett asked Tom, wanting to make small talk with him

Tom scoffed " That's the understatement of the century. But no" he looked at her " It was your father who ordered me and the others to stand back, while Ferguson and Barrett put on a show for everyone in the yard" he looked back in front

" For a while there, I thought your father was going to allow Ferguson to beat Barrett to death when the tables turned on her. I mean what kind of Governor does that?" he looked back at her 

Scarlett shrugs her shoulders " I don't know. You tell me" she met his gaze " My father is a tough cookie. Perhaps tougher than I originally thought. It's possible he knew if he did his best to prevent the fight, Ferguson and Mel would have found a way without dad knowing until it was too late"

" Maybe" Tom paused for a few seconds " Or maybe your father enjoys seeing the women tear themselves apart. I'm telling you, Scarlett. There's something not right about him. Something off" he said grimly 

They turned down the next corridor, headed over to a small area containing three doors which would gain them access over the area where the boiler room is located. Tom uses his swipe key to open the first door and opens it for Scarlett

" Such a gentleman" Scarlett walked in

Tom heads in, closes the door and uses his swipe key to open the second and third doors. Scarlett walked through both doors with Tom. They then carried on with reaching their destination 

" Mr. Shepherd, If I didn't know any better" Scarlett said with her head tilted towards Tom " I'd say you've had it in for my father. What on Earth has he possibly done to offend you?" she asked him 

Originally Scarlett wasn't going to ask Tom questions about why he hated Craven until they were both alone in the boiler room. But since the subject was brought up earlier than expected, the devious troublemaker thought it would be a good time to interrogate him

" It's not what he's done to me. Trust me. It's what he's done to others and how he presents himself" Tom replied 

Now that he's a better understanding of who the Puppet Master is and what he is capable of, Tom vowed to be extra vigilant with his enemy, knowing sooner or later Craven will strike. Until that day comes, all Tom can do is hope for the best and help expose the Puppet Master for his crimes

The fact Craven managed to get away by torturing an inmate back in Walford and putting the blame back on the inmate, disgusted and disturbed Tom. You'd have to be pretty sick and twisted to actually put your hands on another being and torturing them 

Scarlett looked back at her prey " My father is a stuck up asshole. But he has to be, it's what his job requires of him. He can't go easy on us, and the fact he knows Wentworth is the most notorious prison in Australia. So he just ups the ante a whole lot more"

"When it comes down to it in the end, my father is a good man. Everything he does is by the book. How else did he manage to clean up a men's prison and put it in top shape"

It saddened Tom to hear how fondly Scarlett spoke about Craven and defending him if only she knew the truth about his crimes. Which is exactly what Tom is going to do, whether Scarlett likes it or not. She needs to know the truth about the Puppet Master and maybe convince her to help him bring his enemy down

Tom and Scarlett now find themselves standing outside of the boiler room. Like the gentlemen that he is, Tom opened the door and allowed Scarlett to enter inside first. When she did enter, Tom followed her in, closes the door and flips the switch so they could see

" This feels kind of naughty" Scarlett smirked as she steps away from Tom and scanned the room " If anyone were to spot us, I'm sure they'd think we are fucking" she turned to Tom " Good thing we gave everyone the slip"

Tom nodded in agreement

" So! Are you going to tell me more about why you hate my father? Or do you have something else in mind" Scarlett's smirk grew wider

Tom leaned on the door " Only if you tell me about your past with Craven first. You did promise you were going to tell me"

Scarlett pretended to look offended by placing her hand over her hand " You certainly don't beat around the bush, do you? At least take me out to eat first before having your way with me" she teased

" But a promise is a promise and I always live up to my word" 

Scarlett pressed her back against the wall and sat down on the floor looking up at Tom " The relationship between me and my father hasn't always been sunshine and daisies" her smirk faded " We had a lot of ugly moments in the past" she said sadly

" Like what?" Tom raised an eyebrow as he sat down on the ground with his back pressed against the door

Scarlett looked at Tom " He loves me, I know that. He only wanted what was best for me, I see that now. But he's the type of father where no matter what you do or how hard you try, it'll never be enough. Whether it was me competing in sports or being at the top of my class, he always expected more from me. More than I would have liked"

She allows herself to go through the emotions during the times where Craven hurt her on a psychological and emotional level by telling her she'll never be good enough and she's a disgrace to him

" All I wanted from my dad, is his unconditional love and support. I tried and tried and tried to be the daughter he wanted me to be, but when I showed an interest in something that didn't interest him. He wouldn't spend any time with me or show me affection when we were alone. If mum was around, we'd act like everything is normal between us"

Scarlett breathes in and out deeply, while also wiping away a tear that escapes her left eye " But when daddy did show me affection and when he was pleased with me. It's a feeling I can't possibly describe" she sniffed

" But his praises and affection never lasted long and we repeated the same cycle over and over and over. It got to the point where I ended up hanging out with the wrong crowd. I hooked up with a drug dealer. It pissed my dad off to no end, but Callum" Scarlett kept her sorrow gaze on Tom " That was my ex's name. He showed me affection, he was there for me. He was into selling weed and if you do your research, weed isn't bad for you. I proposed to Callum we tried to sell this on an international level by adding a secret ingredient. I won't tell you what it is. But Callum lacked the will to expand our operation, I tried and look where I ended up"

Tom could see the hurt in Scarlett's voice when describing her relationship with Craven and the pain it caused her. Just when he thought he had known everything there is to know about the Puppet Master, Tom is blindsided with a new development 

Scarlett wiped away another tear " Before I was sent here, things came to ahead with dad and my relationship with Callum. I told my father I was done trying to please him. I was done with his constant insults and the pain he put me through" she scoffed " And you know what he said?" staring at Tom

Tom shakes his head " No"

" When I told him, I wasn't going to end things with Callum. He said I was dead to him and he never had a daughter. That one......especially that one, really got me" Scarlett replied

Tom looked at Scarlett with pity " I'm sorry, Scarlett. I'm sorry you have a bastard like him as a father. A real father would love his child unconditional. Not playing with their emotions"

" No it's ok now" Scarlett smiled at Tom " My father learned the error of his ways, just as I did. We've put the past behind us for good and things are better now. Even though, I'm on the other side of the bars. We're peachy" she nodded

" Your turn. Why do you hate my father so much? What do you have against him" 

Tom now wondered if he should tell Scarlett the truth about her father, now that she's opened her heart to him and still has a lot of unresolved pain. But if he wanted to accomplish his goal of exposing the Puppet Master and have Wentworth safe from Craven, he's going to have to get past his own fears

" You're father is not fit to be Governor in any prison. I can't prove it, but under his watch, in both Walford and Wentworth he is responsible for several deaths. In Walford he was accused of torture, causing grievous bodily harm and endangerment. Although Craven made it appear in which the prisoners were lying, so it allowed him to be exonerated. How do I know this? I hired a private investigator to look into it for me"

Scarlett scoffed at Tom's accusations " But there was no evidence or proof to suggest he did those things. So" she shrugs her shoulders and not believing a word of what Tom said

" There's more. I have reason to believe Craven has formed an alliance with Ferguson to keep the women in line through fear, so they wouldn't voice their opinion when your father implemented stricter rules. Craven was also seen talking with three of Ferguson's former enemies at several different times. Pitting them against each other, while Ferguson turned one over to her side and killed the other two" Tom revealed

Scarlett laughed " Are you serious? Do you have any actual proof to back this up? Did it ever occur to you that Craven only formed " holding up two fingers on both hands and bending them " an alliance" lowers her hands " So he can keep an eye on her? Governors form alliances with their Top Dogs. It happens, Mr. Shepherd"

While she wasn't going to reveal to Tom about her first conversation with Craven upon her arrival with Ferguson being mentioned and wanting her not to do anything foolish, which could end the Puppet Master's alliance with the Freak. Scarlett now became more intrigued to learn for herself about their partnership 

Stupid man, Scarlett thought. She has all the information Tom has on Craven now, which is practically meaningless and will report it in the morning

" Is it so hard for you to believe your father could be capable of these things?' Tom asked Scarlett " You said it yourself. Your relationship with him wasn't exactly normal and he psychologically and emotionally abused you while growing up"

Scarlett frowned " That's all in the past. He's a changed man and so am I" she snarled

" Take me back to my cell" She stands to her feet " I'm done talking with you"

Tom sighs" Scarlett!"

" Take me back" Scarlett demanded

Tom nodded " Ok" he opened the door for Scarlett to leave first. When she did, he escorted her back to H5


	44. Starting Again

After Breakfast was over and making a request to see her father, Scarlett found herself sitting in her father's office, where she relayed the conversation she had with Tom Shepherd last night. The conversation in what the Puppet Master was waiting for, gaining information the enemy has over him and be rid of Tom forever soon afterward

" That's it?" Craven asked his ever so clever daughter with an eyebrow raised

Scarlett nodded " Mmmhm. Tom is more of an idiot that I thought. All he has is hearsay and rumors. Nothing substantial" she laughed " He has nothing. Nothing!"

Craven grinned in satisfaction " You did well, Pumpkin. Very well" the wheels in his head began to turn 

When he heard Scarlett mentioned to him Tom hired a private detective, he was worried for a moment until he realized all Tom had was evidence of his crimes, in which he was clearly guilty of but made sure he got away with it

So much for Tom's big talk in exposing me, the poor fool has no idea what's about to come his way, Craven thought 

Scarlett smiled from ear to ear " Thank you, daddy. There was no way I was going to allow an asshole like, Mr. Shepherd, make false rumors and try to get you fired" she folded her arms 

" He was easier than I thought he would be. I thought it would take longer for him to crack or for me to gain his trust. But no. Once I turned on the charm, he fell for it. Hook line and sinker"

Craven nodded " You did a good job and I'm proud of you" he got up from his seat and walked around his table to his daughter

He holds out his arms and beckoned for Scarlett to fall into his embrace. Scarlett smiled at him, easily getting up from her chair and throwing herself into her father, wrapping her arms around his back 

Craven wraps his arms around Scarlett's back and kissed her head " I'm so glad to have you a part of my life again. I was an utter fool to cut you off and make you feel like shit. A bastard. There's not a day that went by, where I didn't think about you"

" Really?" Scarlett looked up at the Puppet Master

Craven nodded " You're my little girl. Always have been and always will be. I could have reached out but you know me. I'm a stubborn fuckwit" he chuckled

Scarlett laughed " No arguments on my end. It doesn't matter now. What matters is this prison has brought us together again" she rolled her eyes " Even if I broke the law and paying the price for my actions"

She loved it when Craven showed affection towards her, it made her heart melt like pudding. The only thing she ever wanted in her father. What any daughter wanted from their dear old daddy dearest

" So what now? What do you have planned for Mr. Shepherd?"

Craven broke away, turned towards the window and walked over to it, with his arms behind his back " It's a surprise, pumpkin" he answered

" Oh come on" Scarlett walked over and stands beside her father " You can tell me. After all, I was the one that did all the heavy lifting, while you sat back" she teased

Craven smiled " But that would spoil the surprise, pumpkin" he tilted his head towards his left where Scarlett is standing " You'll know all about it. Tomorrow morning, that is"

He looked back to the window and breathes in and out deeply. Finally! Now he has everything on Tom, the Puppet Master can be free of him by the end of tomorrow. Sure, Craven could easily do nothing and allow Tom to keep his job. But what fun would that be

Besides even if Craven chose to back out of his plan and do nothing, there's always a chance in which Tom may finally find something which could indefinitely expose the Puppet Master and bring him down 

Better to remove Tom from the picture now while he has no ammo to use. Craven had doubts whether or not Scarlett could pull something like this off, and now that she's proven herself to him. There's no doubt in the Puppet Master's mind, he'll use Scarlett for more his plans from here on out 

Scarlett will be like an insurance policy. Ensuring Craven's position as the Governor for years to come 

" Oh come on! Stop being so secretive and tell me" Scarlett complained " You know I can keep a secret. I won't tell anyone"

Craven smiled and shakes his head " You'll find out tomorrow" he replied

" Fine! Have it your way" Scarlett frowned " What about Ms. Miles and the voice recording? What have you done about her?"

Craven looked back at his daughter " I won't tell you what exactly I have planned for Mr. Shepherd. What I will tell you is, it involves Officer Miles. Now that her secret is exposed, I have her in my pocket. No matter if it's underhanded or above board, she'll do whatever I say. Otherwise, she'll end up as a prisoner in this facility" he said

He sees the disappointed look in Scarlett's face when he refused to not tell her about his plans for Tom. with one deep sigh he decided to humor her and let her in on the grand plan 

" Alright, I'll tell you what I have planned"

Scarlett smiled at him " Yay!"

Craven kept his gaze on Scarlett " Actually it would have been foolish of me not to tell you since you'd have no idea on what your role will be" he replied

" You mean I still have a part to play?" Scarlett asked 

Craven nodded " I need you to be with Mr. Shepherd tomorrow morning in the corridors. Preferably nearest to your unit. Ms. Miles and I will be there. When I give you a nod, you'll turn on Mr. Shepherd. You'll make it out, he's offering you contraband and sexually propositioning. I'll interfere, you make a scene, and that's when I go in for the kill"

" After the vicious lies he's been spreading about you, it's what he deserves" Scarlett looked down at the prison yard from the window " I have to ask you something" remembering her conversation with Tom that involved Craven's alliance with the Freak 

Craven also looked down at the prison yard again " Ask me anything"

" Last night, when Mr. Shepherd told me about the private detective and this and that. He mentioned your alliance with Ferguson. Suggesting you were involved in two out of three deaths. While I don't believe a single word of it, what is your alliance with Ferguson? Just out of curiosity" Scarlett asked as she copied her father's stance and puts her hands behind her back 

" My alliance?" Craven turned to his daughter " It's purely business. While I do find Ferguson fascinating, I know how dangerous and manipulative she is. Instead of being her enemy, I went out of my way to befriend her. Just so I can be one step ahead, in case if Ferguson tried anything with me" he explained

Scarlett turned to her father " My thoughts exactly. We make a good team. You and I" she smiled

" We do indeed" Craven nodded and smiled back 

******

Franky Doyle still couldn't get Kim's terrified picture from out of her mind, when it was believed Kim had bumped into the Puppet Master before realizing it was her, instead of Craven. In all her time she's spent in Wentworth, Franky has never seen Kim so terrified before

Did Craven do something to Kim? Did he abuse her? Did he rape her? From the way Kim acted, it's obvious something went on between the two. But why? While Franky did think Craven was an asshole for instructing harsher rules, she still failed to see a reason as to why Kim would be so terrified of him

Whatever it was, it motivated the turncoat to get to the bottom of it, and hopefully, make amends for her past actions against Kim. Even though in the beginning, Franky made it clear to Kim, their relationship wasn't going to be anything other than a casual fling, she grew to like Kim as a person and still felt guilty for helping to lead Kim down a path involving drugs

Even if Kim doesn't reveal her true reasons of mistaking Franky for the Puppet Master, at least with an acknowledgment and a chance to put the past behind them, and start over is more than enough for Franky at this point. While at this stage, Franky didn't have the same feelings for Kim as she once had, she still viewed Kim as a friend and hoped Kim will feel the same way 

Franky gets off her bed, leaves her cell and her unit. She headed down the corridors at a fast pace in order to reach H3. At this point she couldn't care less what Ferguson has planned for Rita or being involved her plans, Franky had nothing against Rita. She actually kind of liked the outspoken inmate, who was quite similar to her old best friend, Bea Smith 

She liked the fact, Rita was standing up for what she believed in and aligned herself with Mel Barret to really hurt the Freak by targeting Vera. Whether Rita will make good on her promise to rid Wentworth of Ferguson is another story, since Franky has witnessed time and time again for those that tried getting in the Freak's way and failing miserably 

Despite all that, Franky is secretly pulling for Rita to surprise everyone and do what has never been done

Three minutes later, Franky arrives outside of H3, immediately seeing Kim sitting on the edge of her bed, bent over with her face buried in her hands

" Kim! You alright?" Franky asked as she made her way inside H3 and over to Kim's cell

Kim looked up with tears running down her cheeks " Oh Franky" she uses her the back of her hand to wipe her eyes " I'm ok" she sniffed

" No you're not" Franky shakes her head " Something is troubling you" she stands in Kim's doorway

Kim half smiles at her " I'm ok. Really. You don't need to worry about me"

" Kim! I care about you. We may not be together but I still have feelings for you as a friend. You can talk to me about anything. So please" Franky entered Kim's cell and crouches in front of her" Don't brush me off"

Kim sniffed " Why do you care?" she asked " Not to sound ungrateful. But after all this time. Why now?"

" Because I'm sorry for the way I treated you when we were together. If I ever led you to think our relationship was going to be legit and extend from just inside this place. Even though I did tell you, in the beginning, it wasn't going to be serious. But If I ever made you think otherwise, I am truly sorry. I was a different person back then" Franky answered truthfully

Kim met Franky's sincere gaze " You're not all to blame. I did try to sabotage your parole hearing. You were right" she nodded " I shouldn't have thrown my freedom away, just to be with you. That was stupid and I'm paying for it" she uses a finger to wipe away the next set of tears

" Yeah. We're cool" she said softly

Franky smiled and felt relieved to know that she and Kim have finally resolved their differences " We all do stupid shit when we are in love or felt rejected. Trust me, I've been there"

She gets up, walks over, turns around and sits next to Kim " So what seems to be bugging you?" she asked 

Kim shakes her head " I don't want to talk about it. For now at least" 

All she wanted now is to ease her mind and not think about Craven's torment over her and be distracted with anything that could make her feel better

Franky nodded and chooses to respect Kim's wishes, believing when the time is right and when Kim is ready, she'll tell Franky what's been troubling her. This almost felt like deja vu for Franky, remembering the time she was comforting Jodi Spiteri after suffering horrendous abuse at the hands of the Freak 

Only this time and unlike Bea, Franky won't push or force Kim into anything she doesn't want to do. Especially if this did indeed involve Craven abusing her friend 

" That's fair enough. I'm more than happy just to sit here with you and talk"

Kim looked at Franky " What about Ferguson?"

" Ahh forget her" Franky waved her hand in dismissal " She's too busy concerning herself with Rita and no doubt has something twisted planned for her," she said without a care in the world

Kim smiled " Why did you join with Ferguson? It doesn't seem like something you would do. If anything, I thought you'd be in Rita's position"

" If I had a nickel every time I was asked why I joined with Ferguson, I'd have enough money to buy my way out of this dump" Franky laughed which caused Kim to laugh with her 

Franky soon shakes her head " It's not something I wanted to do, It's something I had to do. I was tired of being on the other end of Ferguson's stick and the shit she put me through. Not to mention how many times she's managed to take down anyone who stood against her"

" I can understand that" Kim nodded " Ferguson is the toughest bitch to ever exist. No matter what anyone does, she never seems to stay gone for long. I'm starting to think she's immortal, invincible or both" she rests her head on Franky's shoulder

Franky smiled " I think your right. But let's hope Rita Connors surprises us all and kills the bitch for good"

" Yeah" Kim replied with a smiled

Kim and Franky spent the rest of the morning reminiscing on old times and placing bets and discussing the inevitable fight between Rita and Ferguson


	45. Framed

" Please don't do this. I...I don't want to" A conflicted Ms. Miles begged Craven as they stand together alone in the locker area. In her hand contains a large brown paper bag, filled with drugs ranging from Heroin to Methamphetamine 

Craven had no sympathy for his slave " You will do as I tell you to do or do you want me to report you to the local authorities and have you shipped here as my prisoner?" he asked her

" But this is wrong. Wrong on so many levels, Governor. Tom is a good friend. He's a good person. Please" Ms. Miles met Craven's cold gaze, while her hand gripping the bag started to tremble

She didn't want to be the main reason for Tom getting sent down for something he didn't do. When Ms. Miles reluctantly agreed to be Craven's personal assistant in order to avoid going to jail, she thought the Puppet Master was only bluffing when he ordered her to do something that goes against everything she believed in 

It was highly unethical, to say the least. Betraying a good friend by planting drugs into his locker and making him out to be a corrupt officer, who is looking to restart the Drug Trade and make a killing in profits

Craven looked at Ms. Miles with disgust in his eyes " Open Mr. Shepherd's locker and place the bag inside. Now!" he ordered

" Crocodile tears won't work on me. You put yourself into this mess when you willingly compromised your position by doing special favors for these low life scum bags. Just so you could make extra money, only to waste it by GAMBLING!" he spat

Ms. Miles takes a step back from the Puppet Master " If I do this, I could never forgive myself. There has to be another way. Please" she pleaded with a hint of fear in her voice

She didn't like the way Craven was looking or speaking to her, it was as if he had been replaced with an imposter who looked like the real deal but only really mean and nasty. Or was it the other way around? Is this the true personality of Craven revealing himself to her?

Craven shakes his head in disgust " I don't want to do it, Governor. Tom is my best friend, this is so wrong. Oh...Oh" he said in a childlike voice mocking Ms. Miles " SHUT UP! Tom has been a nuisance. He just won't give up until I'm no longer here. He has to go. Put the bag in his locker. I won't ask you again"

Ms. Miles takes another step back, her head tilting towards her right where Tom's locker is. She now questioned whether or not to turn herself in, she liked Tom a lot and she would never be able to live with herself should she choose to follow Craven's orders

I can do this. No, I can't. What if Craven does something to me as a prisoner. But Tom is a decent guy, all he wants to do is to help better the women and do the right thing. But but but. Ms. Miles became more and more conflicted with her thoughts and it didn't help when the Puppet Master was looking at her as if he's about to murder her in cold blood

The bag in her hand trembled and shakes violently until she lost her grip, with the bag falling to the ground 

At that moment, Craven gave into his anger as he stormed his way over to his prisoner, grabbed the collar of her shirt and violently threw her into Tom's locker with his hand and pinning her there

" Listen to me you little bitch. If you disobey me and decide to turn yourself in, I'll see to it you get transferred to here and I'll make your life a living hell. What?" he smiled sinisterly at her now terrified expression, " You think this is bad now? THIS!" Shaking his head " Trust me, Linda. You do not want to end up as a prisoner and if you don't believe me, go and ask Ms. Chang. She'll tell you all about it. Maybe even show you her scars I inflicted"

Ms. Miles's eyes widen in horror at Craven and terrified of him not only pinning her to Tom's locker but making good on his promise to make her life hell, and revealing he has admitted to torturing Kim Chang

She felt her heart pounding an extra two minutes than normal and started to feel the strain of her back being pressed against the lockers

" You're hurting me, Craven" Ms. Miles's voice quivers with fear 

Craven grinned " This is nothing compared to what I'm truly capable off, Linda. I wasn't kidding when I said, I'm the God of Justice. I am! It's my duty to punish the guilty and if need be, kill them. They've manipulated an already broken system for far too long. It's time for them to get what's coming to them. I own you, Linda. You are mine"

He laughed when he seeing Ms. Miles's shedding a tear of how cruel and violent he is with her

" Look at you, Linda. You're weak" he slammed her against the locker " And Pathetic. Trust me. What I'm doing to you now is nothing that I will do, if you decide to turn against me and become my prisoner. So what's it to be?" his smiled faded and in its place is a cold menacing glare 

Ms. Miles nodded frantically " I'll do it. I'll do it. I'll put the bag in"

" Right answer" Craven releases her grip on his prisoner and stands back to give Ms. Miles's some space 

Ms. Miles turned around and looked at Tom Shepherd's name plastered over his locker " Forgive me"

She places the spare key that Craven gave her inside the keyhole and turned it. Ms. Miles opens the lid, crouches down to grab the brown paper bag, stands up and places the bag inside Tom's locker 

Craven nodded in satisfaction " Good girl. Now lock it"

Ms. Miles did as she is told, she closes the lid and twists the key on the opposite end to lock it again. She then takes the key out, turned around and hands it back over to the Puppet Master 

" There" Craven grabbed the key and placed it in his pocket " That wasn't so hard was it?" 

Ms. Miles shakes her head " No" she lied because what she did was wrong and is already feeling sick to her stomach about it 

" Now to go in for the kill" Craven turned around " Follow me, Ms. Miles" he ordered

The Puppet Master and Ms. Miles left the locker area and the staffroom together, power walking their way over to where Craven and Scarlett organized to meet

This is it, Craven thought. Soon Mr. Shepherd will be out of my hair and nobody will stop me from doing as I please

Craven also enjoyed putting his hands on Ms. Miles and puts the fear of God into her, the way she looked at him was fear. Pure unadulterated fear. He has her right where she wants him and will never let go of his hold over her now

Ms. Miles may think he's deranged but Craven knew better, he knew what he was doing is divine justice for the good of society and for the Universe. Whether it was a prisoner or not, whoever is corrupted and has broken the law needs to pay for their crimes. And that is exactly what Craven will give them

They walked down from corridor to corridor until coming to a stop where the Puppet Master spotted Scarlett Craven coming in from the other end with Tom Shepherd. Craven smiled

" Alright here's the plan" Craven turned to Ms. Miles " Since Mr. Shepherd hasn't spotted us, you and I are going pretend to talk for a bit. When I give the signal to my daughter, that's when we strike. Got it"

Ms. Miles nodded " Yes" she replied, turning to him 

Their mouths started to move but none of their voices could be heard, Craven appeared to look very serious at his prisoner as if he had heard some rather unfortunate news

Scarlett Craven sees her father conversing with Ms. Miles, she sees the Puppet Master briefly turning his gaze towards her and giving her a quick nod. Signaling her that now was the time to take Tom down for good 

She reaches around and pinches Tom's butt

Tom stopped walking and turned to her "Hey! Why did you"

" I already told you NO! I'm not interested in buying drugs from you or sleeping with you. When are you going to get that through your heard" Scarlett frowned at Tom while taking a step back 

Tom raised an eyebrow " Excuse me?"

" You heard me, pig" Scarlett looked at the other prisoners that were nearby " Everyone, Mr. Shepherd is not who you think he is. He is dirty as they come" turning her attention back onto the bewildered officer and frowned

Tom stared at Scarlett oddly " I have never offered you drugs, nor do I have any on me. Where is this coming from?" he asked her

He couldn't understand why Scarlett was accusing him of things in which they both knew he didn't do. Is it because he got too close to Scarlett the other night in the boiler room? he thought

" Yes, you do and don't try to deny it. You have a stash stored in your locker room" Scarlett snarled

Craven decided now is the perfect time to make his grand entrance, he turned and approached his daughter and Tom 

" What is the meaning of this?" he asked while looking at them, pretending not to know what was going on 

Scarlett looked at her father and threw herself onto him " Mr. Shepherd has been harassing me nonstop about wanting to sleep with him in exchange for drugs"

Tom frowned " That is not true. Stop making vicious lies about me" he said angrily

" Mr. Shepherd" Craven gives Tom a stern look " This is a serious accusation. I'll have to call in the SESG to inspect your locker" he told him 

Ms. Miles looked the other way, too ashamed of her actions in giving into Craven's will and her contribution into Tom's downfall

Tom takes in a deep breath " Fine! Go ahead. I have nothing to hide and when they are done searching my locker, which does not contain any drugs. You're going in the slot" he said to Scarlett

Why has she done this? Tom thought to himself. Why is Scarlett turning against him and acting if he was a dirty officer, instead of being a caring friend

********

Twenty-five minutes later, the SESG arrived as promised. Craven and Ms. Miles led them through the staffroom and into the locker room area where Tom Shepherd was already waiting for them

Tom sees the SESG " You'll find nothing, trust me" he folded his arms across his chest

" Let us hope for your sake, you're telling the truth. Now would you be so kind in opening your locker for our friends" Craven said with his arms behind his back 

Tom nodded " Gladly because unlike you, I have nothing to hide" he brings out his key and turned with his back to the SESG and Craven 

" When this is all over, I expect an apology" Tom placed his key into the keyhole and turned it on his left

Craven grinned, he couldn't wait to see how wrong Tom is on that stupid little face of his. While he enjoyed what he was seeing, Ms. Miles felt disgusted with him and with herself, she looked at Craven and thought, how could he be so cruel and deceptive like this

Tom opened his locker and raised an eyebrow when he saw a mysterious brown paper bag before him. He knew it wasn't there when he checked in for work, and yet there it was. But how did it get here? Unless it was planted

" Now step aside and let the SESG men do their work" Craven instructed 

Tom had no choice but to step aside and hope for the best. As he stepped aside the SESG men went to work inspecting the locker, they take out the mysterious brown paper bag and began searching for the contents inside of it

It didn't take long for the SESG to find little bags containing heroin, methamphetamine, bongs, and syringes. They take out a couple of them and showed it to the Puppet Master, confirming Scarlett's accusations 

Tom sees the bags " That's not mine! They weren't there when I arrived two hours ago" he snarled

Craven shakes his head and made a tsk tsk noise " I expected better from you, Mr. Shepherd" he turned his gaze onto his confused and furious colleague

" I'd expected this from Officer Stewart. But you? I really thought you were one of the good ones. Just when you think you know someone, only for them to hide their true colors and blindside you when it's been made known" making subtle hints for Tom to decipher 

A lightbulb went off in Tom's head, he instantly realized what had just happened to him. Scarlett has been playing him along all this time under the orders of Craven. The Puppet Master was behind it all along, he planned it since the day he revealed his true colors to Tom

" It was you. You set me up" he muttered

Craven shakes his head " No Mr. Shepherd. You set yourself up, this is all down to you and you alone" he said in a condescending way 

Angered by Scarlett's deceit and for being made a fool of, Tom tackled Craven to the ground and gave him a hard punch across the face before he was pulled back and restrained by the SESG 

" HE'S THE ONE YOU WANTED! HE'S THE ONE. HE SET ME UP! ERNEST CRAVEN IS PURE EVIL" Tom yelled like a wildman being held back 

Craven stands to his feet again, he appeared disappointed and hurt on the outside to anyone who was looking at him. However, on the inside, Craven is smiling and laughing because with Tom's little outburst and attack, Tom has pretty much sealed his fate

" It's over for you. Mr. Shepherd. I will be pressing charges and see to it, you remain behind bars for a very long time"


	46. Analyzing

Mel Barrett pressed her back against a wall of pillows while laying on her bed inside one of the rooms in the medical unit, she has just been informed of the events that happened after her battle with the Freak from Rita Connors. Rita sits on a chair in the corner of the room 

" I'm not surprised. Ferguson was bound to strike shortly after our fight. You know what must be done, Rita. There is no other way to solve this. Ferguson will continue to hurt the ones you care about. Break them on a psychological level before finally putting them out of their misery. Death is the only answer"

After spending a few days in medical, the wounds and scars Mel had received started to show themselves quite clearly. Mel's face is covered in bruises with a black eye on her left, she wears an arm cast of her right arm so the bones can heal over time. She even had bandages wrapped around her stomach underneath her white shirt to support and heal two of her broken ribs 

Rita nodded in agreement " I think your right, Mel. Ferguson truly is a freak" shaking her head in disbelief " She could have killed me in the kitchen. She had me right where she wanted me and could have ended it. But she would rather play a game with me. Break me" she said

She thought for sure after being injected with Rohypnol and losing all feeling in her body, Ferguson had finished her off. But when Rita awoke in the storage room with Nicole informing her that she wasn't dead, it sparked a change in the outspoken and fearless challenger

The way Ferguson coldly and sadistically spoke of how she will break Rita on an emotional, physical and emotional level by going after Nicole and anyone else that is foolish enough to associate themselves with her, made Rita sick 

How could another person, a woman none the less act this way towards another? 

Rita gets it. She really does. She now understands why Ferguson is called the infamous Freak among her peers and officers in the general population. Ferguson is a freak. She's willing to do the things that most people couldn't even imagine or dare to do

" If I whoop her ass and take her place, it would only be a matter of time before that cunt starts plotting revenge. I know she will if I choose to let her live. Ferguson will finish you off, target Nikki again and perhaps go after both Liz and Booms"

Rita's head and face landed on her hands as she bent over in her seat, knowing what she must come next is something Rita thought never would happen. Rita has never taken a life. Never. She's only protected herself and those she cared about by whooping the enemy's ass and be done with it 

But it's different this time. This time, she has to cross that line. For the good of everyone that has ever had the misfortune of getting themselves tangled in Ferguson's web, she has to go from being a protector to a murderer

Rita runs her hands through her hair and sits up properly, letting out a loud frustrated sigh

Mel looked at Rita" Trust me, Rita. If there was another way, I would be all over it. Really! But I've known Ferguson a lot longer than you. I've seen what she has done when's been allowed to live and systematically taking down her enemies. She did it with Bea. She did it with Kaz. She did it with Allie. And she most certainly did it with Franky. I mean look who Franky has hooked up with" 

She shakes her head in disappointment " We sure could have used Franky and her smarts to kill the Freak. Look! Nobody is forcing you to kill her. If you think there is a better way of stopping her without resorting to murder, go for it. But I think we both know what needs to be done" she added

" No" Rita nodded " I know what needs to be done" meeting Mel's gaze " Ferguson has to die. She's destroyed enough lives for one time"

Despite her newfound beliefs and telling herself Ferguson needs to die, Rita still has that nagging voice inside her, telling her to not resort to murder and there is always another way. It caused her to rise from her seat, pacing back and forth in front of Mel 

Mel watched her " You're still having doubts though" she deduced

" I don't want to!" Rita looked at Mel while pacing back and forth " After what happened in the kitchen, I would be a fool not to kill Joan. I know I want to beat her to a bloody pulp and make her suffer. But it's a big step for me. You know? It's not like going to work. This is taking someone's life"

Rita kept trying to ignore the little voice inside her head and push it to the back of her mind. Nicole has been badly hurt, Ferguson will make good on her promise to make Rita's life hell and there will come a time where if Rita isn't careful, she will end up losing her life

This is what needs to happen

" May I make a suggestion?" Mel asked 

Rita stopped pacing and turned to her friend and confidant " Shoot"

" Remember everything you've heard about Ferguson. The stories. Your own experiences. Tap into the hate and the desire to protect. Rita! Sometimes when a protector crosses that line and takes a life, they don't stop being a protector. Especially if it's saving people from Ferguson or someone a whole lot worse, they are still a protecting. They just know where their limits are and to not murder, unless they feel they have no other choice. When the time comes for the both of you to square off, you'll know what to do" Mel replied

Rita smiled at Mel "How the fuck did you manage to end up in a place like this? From what you've been telling me, you should be a world leader or something like that"

" Nah" Mel shakes her head and waves her left hand in dismissal" Not my style. I'm better as an advisor than a leader, I see things for what they are and analyze it to the best of my ability. As for how I ended up in here?" she shrugged " Go ask Ferguson. She's the one that sent me, Kaz, Allie, Soz and Snortz here, during her last days as the Governor" she answered

She then remembers her conversation with Ernest Craven during that night in the slot and hearing his beliefs when it comes to corrections and his disgust for criminals 

" This going slightly off topic but what are your thoughts on Governor Craven?" Mel looked back at her friend 

Rita returned to her chair and sits down " The Governor!" she shrugs her shoulders "He's an uptight prick with a broomstick up his ass. Why?"

" He seems very off to me. There's something not right about him" Mel said

Rita raised an eyebrow " Has he done something to you?"

Mel shakes her head " Craven didn't do anything to me. But it's what he said and how he said it, that really bothered me" she confessed

She remembered the way, the Puppet Master acted superior towards her. How he believed every criminal deserves to be stripped of not just their special privileges but their rights as a human as well. Treating them as if they were the scum of the Earth

Mel also knew for a fact, there was no way the Board would allow Craven to suspend their privileges indefinitely. Craven did not inform his superiors of the rules he's instilled in Wentworth and once she has made a full recovery, Mel has made it her mission to get to the bottom of it and bring the board down on the Puppet Master's ass

" Like what?" Rita leaned back in her seat, but soon remembers her own encounter with the Puppet Master shortly after her fight with Rebecca 

" Actually come to think of it, there is something a bit off with him" Rita stared at Mel 

Mel raised an eyebrow " Do tell"

" When I challenged Ferguson and whopping Rebecca's butt, Craven came to me on the day he released me back into the general population. Craven insisted I give up my pursuit in fighting the Freak. Saying I'm fighting a losing battle" Rita informed 

She did find it rather odd for a Governor to say that to one of his prisoners, more so than usual because Rita understood if Craven was only concerned for her welfare. But Rita felt there was something more to it, she didn't know what it was, only it was something that gave her weird vibes from the Puppet Master

Mel's eyes blinked " Huh! That is a bit odd"

Rita nods " I know right. To me, it didn't feel like he was concerned about my welfare" she sighs " I can't put my finger on it but there is obviously something going on, we are not seeing" she replied 

" Did Craven say the same thing to you in the slot?"

Mel shakes her head " No! He didn't. What he did say to me was more disturbing than anything I could ever imagine" she said 

" Don't keep me in suspense, Melanie. Tell me" Rita smiled at her

Mel takes in a deep breath " Craven believes all of us here are the scum of the Earth. He feels we should be treated like dirt and not have any rights, he feels this is the best way to rehabilitate us back into society " she scoffed " I asked him if he had the chance to strip our rights to eat and clean ourselves. Would he? He didn't say anything, just smiled. And that was that was pretty much everything I needed to know about him"

" So your saying Craven could be a threat on the horizon?" Rita asked

Mel nodded " I do. Which is why we need to take him down after Ferguson has been sent to Hell. He might prove to be someone even worse than the Freak if that is remotely possible" 

" Speaking of Craven, after Mr. Shepherd was exposed with a stash of drugs in his locker he tackled the Governor to the floor and punched him. Claiming Craven set him up and that he is pure evil" Rita commented

Now with everything she's heard from Mel about Craven and only knowing Tom for a very short time, Rita believed Tom wasn't the type looking to risk his career by restarting the drug trade. There is just no way he would be interested in that sort of shit but if Craven is behind it, then he could very well prove to be a dangerous enemy

Perhaps Craven has formed an alliance with Ferguson, Rita thought. It would make sense with how the Puppet Master tried to discourage Rita's pursuit in taking the Freak down and replacing her as Top Dog 

" We need to be extra careful with the Governor. I as well don't believe Mr. Shepherd isn't the type to start up a Drug Trade. He can be dealt with later. Right now with you especially need to focus on Ferguson. The women look up to you. They want you to be their hero. Their Top Dog and that is what you will do" Mel advised

Rita gives Mel a soldier's salute " Yes, general" she laughs

" In all seriousness though, I have a plan for the women to fight back against Ferguson and Craven. Those two fuckwits and their system for running things have gone on long enough. It's time to put an end to their reign and really piss them off"

Mel smiled at her " Really! Like what?" she became very intrigued with what Rita has planned for their enemies

" You'll find out soon enough, my friend. Think of it as a tribute to your friends and what the Red Right-Hand stands for" Rita said vaguely

Mel now really wanted to know what Rita has planned and what this tribute to the Red Right Hand is, whatever it is, it must be really big if Rita is choosing to keep it as a surprise 

" Don't make me get off this bed and whoop your ass to get it out of you" Mel teased

Rita laughed " In your condition?" she shakes her head " Please. You're not worth my time and I've seen you in action" teasing back

"Yeah? You want to try that?" Mel attempted to move but the pain in her ribs prevented her in doing so

Rita smiled " I promise I'll tell you, just as soon as I'm done with rallying the women against Craven and Ferguson"

" It better be" Mel slowly lifted herself higher on the makeshift wall of pillows behind her

Rita laughs " Trust me, Mel. It'll be worth the wait. When Craven and Ferguson realize the women will no longer tolerate their bullshit under my leadership, they'll be in huge trouble"


	47. Beacon of Hope

A group of prisoners gathered together in the prison yard, they didn't know why Rita had called them here other than the fact she had an important announcement that would change everything. Liz Birdsworth, Boomer Jenkins, Nicole Linus and the last remnants of both Gambaro and Sonia's crew were present 

The injuries Nicole sustained were bruising and cuts to her face with some bruising around her body. When she was questioned how she got those cuts, Nicole refused to answer Nurse Radcliff and the officers. Fully respecting the rules as a prisoner in the general population 

Rita Connors stands on top of the picnic bench Ferguson and her crew usually sit at as if she is ready to deliver a speech to a nation under her reign. She claps her hands together and looks at the crowd 

" Now all of you are wondering, why I have called all of you here together. Some of you are thinking you have better things to do with your time but believe me, this is not a waste of your time. This is something that all of you really want to do"

Boomer looked at Rita " Like what?" she asked her

Rita met Boomer's gaze and smiled " I'm very glad you asked that Booms" she then turned her focus back onto the others " As you are all aware. We have been treading on eggshells for the last several months and living in constant fear when Ferguson became Top Dog" again"

Some prisoners nodded while a few grunted at the mention of the Freak's name 

" And if things weren't already bad" Rita turned and pointed her index finger up high to the window in Craven's office " Governor Craven has taken away our special privileges and instilling harsher rules. I get it. We broke the law. But what he is doing is fucking ridiculous" keeping her eyes trained on the crowd

" He's taken away our TVs, limited our phone calls to one hour a day, restricted our visiting hours from our friends and loved ones, he's even refused to hand us any mail that we may have received. This shit along with Ferguson's reign has gone on long enough"

Rita slowly paced back and forth on top of the picnic bench 

" I know most of you are scared of the Freak and what she has done to those that tried to stop her. I understand your hesitations but I also know, there was a time where all of you were tied of shit and had her lynched. None of you were scared when that happened"

She soon stops pacing back and forth and just stands still " When Ferguson and her crew arrive and they will. I already have someone watching them. When they get out here, I want all of you to show Ferguson and Craven. Especially Craven, how all of you really feel about them and their rules. I know all of you are sick of their bullshit. It's time to make a stand. It's time to fight back!"

" All of you look to me as your next Top Dog and trust me when I tell you this, I will send that bitch to hell and be the leader you all need. I will make sure Ferguson can never again have a chance to regain power and terrorize you anymore. Her time is over! The darkest night is just before dawn. The dawn is coming, my friends. But I want all of you to contribute. Make your voices heard and show no fear. If me and Mel had the guts to stand up to the Freak, then so can all of you. So what say you? Do you want me as your Top Dog!"

"YES!" the crowd of prisoners chanted in unison

Rita started to pace back and forth on the picnic bench again " Do you want me to kill Ferguson?" she asked her followers

" YES!" The crowd chanted

Nicole smiled up at her friend, just listening to her friend's speech immediately put her fears to rest, and in its place is strength and courage. She's done being a scared little mouse, she's going to show the Freak and the Puppet Master she's no longer afraid, damn it

The crowd of prisoners themselves believed in Rita and what she stands for, they might not see eye to eye with each other but when they share a common enemy in the Freak and believe in the one that who has challenged her, they immediately align themselves with their new hero

" Are you going to tell these fucking assholes that we're done with their shit?" Rita asked her followers 

" YES!" The crowd replied

Rita stops pacing and turned to her followers " I can't hear you!"

" YES!!!!!!!!!!" The crowd chanted in unison loudly as they possibly can

The chant alone was enough for the Puppet Master to stop what he was doing in his office, get up from his desk and walked over to the window to see what the hell was going on in the yard

Craven placed his hands behind his back and sees Rita addressing a crowd of prisoners 

Rita smiled proudly at her followers " I'm glad all of you feel the same way as I do. Together we will change this stinking prison and make things better. When Ferguson arrives, give her Hell. Call her a freak, I don't care. Just say it loud enough for her to get the message"

She sees Nicole raising her hand and nods at her " Yes Nikki!"

The crowd of prisoners all turned their attention on the young blonde

" What about the Governor? What should we say about him?" Nicole asked her friend

Rita smiled " I'll ask all of you what do we want. All of you will reply, special privileges. I'll then ask, when do we want them. In turn, you'll say, now"

" Ok!" Nicole nodded and smiled " Sounds good to me," she said 

Craven watched Rita rallying the prisoners up from the window in his office, he sees a change in the women. They seem happy and inspired by Rita's charismatic preaching of changing the system 

He doesn't like it. Not one bit. Ferguson has to put a stop to Rita's revolution now before it becomes impossible to control

A brunette inmate races out to the yard and over to the crowd " Ferguson is coming" she announced to Rita 

Rita nodded in satisfaction and clapped her hands " Ok now. This is it, folks. There's no turning back now. Give her and her crew Hell, but nobody lays a finger on Ferguson. She's mine and mine alone to deal with"

Ferguson and the Freaks arrived right on cue and were immediately met with an overwhelming roar from the crowd 

" FREAK! FREAK! FREAK!! FREAK!! FREAK!!!" The crowd chanted constantly at Ferguson 

" Fucking Freak!" an inmate's voice could barely be heard over the roar of the prisoners 

Ferguson stared at the crowd of these worthless prisoners who should be in cowering in fear and departing for her to go over to her bench, instead they were shouting and screaming at her. Calling her names and feeling their hatred as she did when Ferguson was placed in a kangaroo court by Kaz Proctor

" FREAK! FREAK! FREAK! FREAK!!!!!!!!"

Ferguson turned her focus from the crowd towards her nemesis. Rita met Ferguson's gaze and smiled at her, showing no fear from their last encounter or the Freak's promise to make Rita's life a living hell by targeting her loved ones 

Rita raised her hand " STOP!" showing her power and influence over the prisoners 

The crowd went silent on Rita's command but they still smiled and gave dirty looks to the Freak. They've had enough of Ferguson's reign of terror. They want a change in leadership and no one has believed in Rita so strongly as they did when Bea Smith was alive 

Rita notices Raven standing beside the Freak " Welcome back, Raven. Long time, no see. How was your holiday?" she asked 

" Not as good as yours will be" Raven replied

Rita smiled at Ferguson's enforcer " You really want me to humiliate you again? Do you?"

" You got lucky, Rita. I let my emotions cloud my judgment and paid for it. That won't happen a second time, I promise you. I learned from my mistakes and should we do have a rematch, it'll be you with stab wounds" Raven vowed

Rita's smile turned into a smirk " Don't worry, Raven. We'll have our rematch as soon as I'm done with your control freak of a leader" turning her gaze onto Ferguson 

" Ladies! What do we think of Ferguson again?"

" FREAK! FREAK!!!!" The crowd shouted in unison 

Ferguson realizes the level of power and influence Rita has over the women, a true threat to her role as the Top Dog. Maybe she's finally found a worthy adversary who is more than capable of taking Bea's place. Someone for the Freak to test her complete skills with 

She's won their respect and trust, Ferguson thought

Rita's smirk grew wider " They aren't afraid of you anymore, Joan. They look to me as their new Top Dog" she gloated over her enemy 

Ferguson stared coldly at Rita " It won't last. These women here" briefly turning her gaze on the crowd and then back at Rita " They are sheep. That's what they are. Sheep who follow anyone who gives them the slightest bit of hope. Once I've made an example out of you as I did with Barrett, they'll turn back to me"

" Not this time, Joan. You're days of terrorizing this prison and controlling our lives is over. I propose we fight here tomorrow. No more backstabbing. No more games. You and me. Head to head for the future of this place" Rita proposed

Rita went on to tease the Freak " Unless you're scared of me" she taunted

The crowd all said in unison " Ohhhhh"

Ferguson's face started to tic with anger, her nose scrunched and eyebrows frowning. She didn't like the way Rita was challenging her in front of these worthless human beings and forcing her hand like this 

Rita held up her arms and hands " Well, Joan? What's it to be?"

" Consider making plans for your funeral now, Connors" Ferguson answered

Rita smiled and soon catches a glimpse of Craven staring down at her from his window and he didn't look too pleased with what she is doing

" Ahh!" Rita smiled and turned to Craven's direction " Well look who it is, ladies. It's the Governor" looking up at him " Tell him how you feel as well"

" WHAT DO WE WANT?"

The crowd chanted " SPECIAL PRIVILEGES!!"

" WHEN DO WE WANT THEM?" Rita asked her followers while smiling at the Puppet Master

" NOW!"

Rita and the prisoners continued chanting in Craven's direction, letting the Puppet Master know they were sick of his rules and demanded he reinstates their special privileges. They repeated it over and over again

Craven snarled in contempt, his cold dark eyes drifting from Rita over to his most trusted ally, Ferguson. He mouthed the words at her - In my office. Now. He sees the utopia in which he and the Freak have created started to crumble and it's time to order Ferguson to put a stop to it. Once and for all 

Ferguson nodded, she turned around and headed back inside with Raven and Rebecca


	48. Outsmarted

Ernest Craven returned to his chair, he's furious over Rita's little stint in the yard and the support the women were giving her. He knew what this meant if Ferguson allows Rita to live. It would be the end of everything they've worked for in Wentworth. Craven and Ferguson finally instilled a system in which they are perfectly comfortable with but that could all change now

This could be the beginning of the end. The Puppet Master can't afford Rita to overthrow the Freak and force his hand to bring back all special privileges. If that happens it'll be a lot harder for the Puppet Master to contain the situation. Everything right is as it should be, the prisoners are terrified of their Top Dog and won't dare to protest or make a stand against Craven's rules. It has to end. Rita Connors has to die, along with Mel Barrett

The doors opened and Ferguson entered Craven's office

" Can you believe what just happened out there?" Craven asked her while pointing his index finger at the window 

Ms. Miles, who escorted the Freak into the Puppet Master's office closes the door. Not wanting to listen to their conversation or be forced to do something else she doesn't want to do

Ferguson nods as she stands in front of Craven's desk " I do. No matter. The situation will be resolved by the end of tomorrow"

" Rita Connors has those idiots eating from the palm of her hand. She's incited a revolution. A movement that could end everything we've built" Craven said furiously

Craven knew from day one when Rita arrived, she would be trouble but didn't know just how much trouble she would be for him and the Freak. Now that Rita has drummed up an overwhelming amount of support from those morons, it's only going to get a lot worse for them

Ferguson wasn't too concerned with their current situation " Settle down. Our reign is still in full effect. Nothing has happened that should have" growing tired of the Puppet Master's concerns

" Not yet!" Craven frowned at her " How can you be so calm about it?" he laughed at his own mistake " Oh right. Rumour has it your a psychopath. You don't give a shit about anything" shaking his head

Ferguson pulls out a chair and sits down " Come now, Governor. That's not nice to talk to a dear friend who has done more than her fair share of keeping your reign in check. Despite minor incidents"

Unlike the Puppet Master, she has full confidence in her abilities to contain Rita's revolution and putting a stop to it. Ferguson will humiliate Rita in battle tomorrow and force the women to turn their backs on her

But she won't kill Rita. No. Ferguson is no rush to kill her nemesis. She wants to have her fill and play with Rita first. Make Rita a laughing stock in front of the women, turn those closest to Rita their backs on her and break her enemy on a psychological and emotional level

When Ferguson deems Rita fit for death and grows tired of their game, only then will the Freak put Rita out of her misery

" How are you not taking this seriously, Joan?" Craven asked her " Why didn't you kill Connors from the moment she first challenged you? Hmm? Because of your stupidity, Connors has now become a threat"

Craven takes a deep breath to calm himself down and regain his composure

" I am grateful for everything you've done for me. I am. But I don't think you should be taking this lying down. We've already underestimated Connors as a prisoner and potential candidate to be Top Dog. If this goes on.."

Ferguson interrupts Craven " It won't go on. Not after I defeat Connors in battle tomorrow and make the women realize they backed the wrong horse. When that happens, all the support and momentum for Connors will fade. She will be a flash in the pan" she half smiled at him 

" So you mean to tell me. You're not going to beat Connors to death tomorrow?" Craven asked

Ferguson nods " That is exactly what I am saying. Well" she paused for a second " Not any time soon. She's proved to be a worthy adversary and I want to see what else she can do"

Even though she loved being Top Dog and crushing her enemies, Ferguson missed the challenge and thrill of facing someone on her level of skills. Bea was the only one able to keep up with her and when she died, there was no real challenge for the Freak to remove Kaz and Allie from the picture

Now that Rita has arrived and proven herself, Ferguson finally has a playmate

Craven raised an eyebrow " You think this is a game?" he asked her with a perplexed gaze on his face

He couldn't believe the audacity of Ferguson had for treating Rita as if she was nothing but an exciting new toy. Craven knew the dangers of what will happen if Rita continues building momentum or if she did lose, it would be a matter of time before their enemy rises from the ashes

Ferguson said nothing

Craven shakes his head " This is not a game, Joan. This is real life. What we have here is a business. A business that has worked well for both of us. The women fear you, they don't dare to speak out against you or me for that matter. They didn't dare to challenge my authority. That has all changed now because you allowed a nobody to make a bit of noise and rise through the ranks"

" Should Rita fail and be allowed to live, she won't stop. Her defeat will inspire her and the women even more. Things have changed, Joan. Why can't you see that?"

Ferguson stared coldly at the Puppet Master " I don't appreciate the way you're talking to me like some idiot who has no idea what they are doing. I am taking this seriously, Mr. Craven. I know the consequences of what may or may not happen. You seem to forget what I'm capable off" she replied

The nerve of this man talking down to her as if she was nothing but a mere lackey. Ferguson has grown tired of Craven throwing his weight around and acting as if he is in charge of their operation. It's time to consult her contacts and see what information they have found so the Freak can use it against Craven 

No more being talked down to. No more being made to be reminded of the fact she's a prisoner and Craven is the Governor. It's time for Ferguson to rise above Craven and control every aspect of Wentworth 

Craven met Ferguson's cold gaze and wasn't at all fazed " Tomorrow, I will hold my officers back and allow your fight with Connors to go uninterrupted until there is a clear winner. But you will kill Connors" he ordered

" Is that understood? No games. No psychological warfare. Just murdering an unfortunate inmate and moving on from there"

Ferguson's face ticked again in anger, her eyebrows frowned and her nose scrunched up " You don't tell me what to do, Mr. Craven. Am I making myself clear? You don't want me as an enemy" she warned him 

" Are you threatening me?" Craven glared 

Ferguson kept her cold gaze on him " Is there an echo in the room? Of course, it is a threat. You seem to forget who's really in charge of this little alliance of ours. I've allowed you to think you were in control but really it was me the entire time. I have no problem in having you demoted or fired should you choose to order me around" she said fiercely 

It is clear that the relationship between the Puppet Master and the Freak was over, the love and respect were no longer there. They've come to a crossroads in how to handle the Connor situation and where to move forward from there 

Craven stands his ground " You don't think I've prepared myself for the day when you will turn against me? I know you, Joan! I know what you are. I've studied you for years and years, I know everything there is to know about you. From the moment we met and made an alliance, I knew you had plans of using your contacts to blackmail or do something to keep me under your control"

He opens the bottom drawer of his desk and brings out a brown folder, he raises it in the air for Ferguson to see before placing it between himself and her. Craven then closes the bottom drawer

" I have contacts too and they've been digging for any piece of information they could find to keep you in line. Guess what?" Craven smiled at Ferguson " They found something in, which you'll find very interesting"

Craven placed his hand on the file " Care to guess what it is?" he asked

Ferguson said nothing, her eyes glanced at the file for a few moments before drawing them back onto the Puppet Master 

" Do you remember a gentleman by the name of Doctor Foster?" Craven asked with a smile 

Ferguson nodded " Yes! He was my therapist when I was transferred to the Sinclair Psychiatric Hosptial shortly after I was arrested" she answered

She hasn't forgotten Dr. Foster and what he did to her. He was a pig who abused his power to take advantage of the female patients in his care. Ferguson didn't want to allow herself to be raped by him but she had no other choice, he was her ticket to freedom 

In the beginning, when Ferguson arrived at Sinclair and was taken in by Doctor Foster, she genuinely thought she could change and beat her demons. That is until Ferguson saw her doctor's true colors and had no intention of ever helping her, and she used his lust to write her a clean bill of health through blackmail 

" That is correct. And did you know he was a sexual predator?" Craven asked

Ferguson shakes her head " No" she lied 

" That's funny because when I had my own contacts pay him a little visit, he told me everything about you and what he did. It must have been heartbreaking to know, Foster had no intention of helping you. It must have taken a lot of guts to allow yourself to be raped just so you can use it as blackmail. You're mentally unstable and forced him to fake documents to prove you've recovered from whatever issues had affected you in the past" Craven replied coldly 

Ferguson is beyond surprised at this point, she is literally shocked at how Craven managed to uncover her secrets at Sinclair and her relationship with Doctor Foster. She tries to throw the Puppet Master off her scent

" That's very good, Mr. Craven. You had me going there for a second" Her eyes glanced at the folder " Did he write a fake report for you?"

Craven shakes his head " No, Joan. This isn't a report on the incident of you blackmailing that disgusting pig. No. This is all his notes and insight into your mind. The psychiatric tests you've taken which proved you're mentally unstable and lied to worm your way back here. I'm telling you now, Ferguson. If you don't kill Connors by the end of tomorrow and do exactly as I say from now on. I will hand this over to the authorities and you will be sent back to Sinclair. You'll have no power. No friends. No game to play with Rita Connors. Just you and you're fucked up little mind"

As far as he was concerned, the gloves are off. Craven no longer views Ferguson as an equal partner in their operation for control. All Ferguson is to him is a weapon, a tool to be disposed of when the Puppet Master no longer needed her 

Ferguson scorned Craven for blackmailing her and having the upper hand. No one blackmails her and gets away with it. No one! Usually, it's Ferguson that does the blackmailing to keep people in her pocket but not this time 

Things have changed. Things are no longer the way it used to be, and Craven has made himself a very powerful enemy in the Freak 

" What's to be, Joan? If you don't answer me, now. I'll assume you want to go back to Sinclair and spent the rest of your miserable life alone there" Craven snarled at her

He's made the biggest mistake of his life, Ferguson thought. She's going to see to it, he regrets ever her crossing and meeting her. Their partnership is officially dead 

Ferguson nods " Very well. Connors will be dead by tomorrow night" she said while half-smiling at him 

Craven grabs the file and places it back in the bottom drawer of his desk " Right answer, Joan. Just remember I am in charge of this prison. Me and me alone" he closes the drawer and looked back at her " Now get out of my sight"

Ferguson gets up from her seat, she's furious with herself for allowing the Puppet Master to beat her to the punch in regards to blackmail. She shouldn't have gotten caught up with Rita Connors and throwing caution to the wind

" I understand, Governor. Forgive me"

She then turned and left Craven's office to be escorted back into the general population, vowing revenge on the Puppet Master


	49. The Letter

While life continues to be chaotic for the prisoners and officers in Wentworth, there's one life, in particular, has enjoyed solitude and the peace that comes with being a farmer. Matthew Fletcher or as some people refer to him as 'Fletch', has enjoyed life ever since trading in his swipe keys and stresses of being an officer to a farmer 

After surviving not one but two attempts on his life thanks to Nils Jasper on the orders of Ferguson, Fletcher knew his life wouldn't get easier when Ferguson returned as a prisoner in Wentworth. He didn't know how or when but he knew Ferguson would be back and after everything she's done to him, Fletcher had to resign and get far away from her as he possibly can 

There's no telling what kind of destruction and mayhem that would have awaited for Fletcher if he chooses to stay on as an officer. Besides things weren't looking better between him and his former best friend, Will Jackson. Fletcher and Will were the best of friends, thick as thieves until a certain woman came between them. Although Fletcher has taken full responsibility for his role in sleeping with Will's ex-wife, Meg Jackson. Ferguson made it worse by pinning the former friends against each other 

In the end, there was too much water under the bridge and the friendship was never repaired. Despite Ms. Miles's attempts to make him stay on, Fletcher thought it would be best if he left Wentworth and start his life over again as a farmer. Since then, he's enjoyed living alone and attending to the animals in his care

No more stress, no more trauma from his experiences in war and most importantly, no more Ferguson to make trouble for him again. Fletcher is truly a free man and has vowed to never to return to Wentworth. Not as long as Ferguson is still there to terrorize the women

When Fletcher saw the news of Ferguson and Franky's escape, he was contacted by his old friend Derek Channing on numerous occasions in an attempt to lure Fletcher back to Wentworth and promises to be put in the position as the next Governor, something Fletcher yearned for in the past. He believed he knew what was best to keep the prison and the women under his control until Ferguson stood in his way not once but twice

But like the first time when Channing called him, Fletcher politely declined the offer every time and was no longer interesting in being the Governor. He was happy and content with his new life away from Wentworth and Civilization as a whole. Plus Fletcher knew it was only a matter of time before Ferguson would be caught alongside Franky and be sent back 

However, much to the veteran's surprise, Fletcher didn't count on Vera handing herself in or hiding Ferguson in her home for a number of months. He was literally beside himself when Ms. Miles informed him of Vera's relationship with the Freak when she paid Fletcher a visit a few months ago

Never would he expect to hear one of his dearest friends had fallen in love with a psychopath. A woman who has brought nothing but destruction and misery to everyone Ferguson comes in contact with. It was insane. It didn't seem real. And yet it was, Vera sided with the enemy. Fletcher was tempted to pay Vera a visit, but he knew if he were to show himself, Ferguson would know and he wanted nothing to do with her 

Fletcher stands in front of his oven, holding a frying pan in one hand while using the other to cook himself an omelet for lunch

He wears a dark green jacket over his dark blue shirt, he wore dark blue jeans with dirt and mud stains down the bottom and steal cap brown boots. Fletcher also sported a facial beard and short black hair 

It didn't surprise him either to learn Ferguson not only killed Bea Smith but became Top Dog not once but twice. It was bound to happen sooner or later for the Freak. There's no stopping her. The best thing to do is to either have the stomach to kill Ferguson or just get far away from her as you possibly can, as far as Fletcher is concerned

Fletcher also became aware of Will's disappearance on the night of Franky and Ferguson's escape and hasn't been seen since. He didn't know for sure if Ferguson was behind it since he knew of the history between the two, but he felt she did have something to do with it. It made sense because there's no way Will would have disappeared without anyone knowing and most certainly wouldn't have abandoned his job

There's no other logical explanation for Will's disappearance other than Ferguson murdering him

Fletcher picked up his spatula, uses it to fold his omelet in half and places the spatula underneath it. He picks up the omelet with his spatula and carries it over, and places it onto his plate

He throws his spatula in the sink, flips the switch to turn the oven off, opens the first draw to get a fork and knife. He closes the drawer, places the fork and knife in one hand, uses his free hand to grab the salt and pepper. Fletcher walked over to the dining table, places the salt and pepper down beside his plate while putting the fork and knife on his omelet

Fletcher pulls out his chair and sits down. Just as he is about to grab his fork and knife to cut a piece of his omelet, he hears a knock on his front door

Knock knock knock 

" Ugh"

Fletcher drops his fork and knife, gets up from his chair, walks out of the kitchen and headed over to the front door " Is it your day off, Linda?" he asked while making his way over

No response

Fletcher opens the door but to his surprise, no one was there waiting for him. How odd, he thought. Why would someone knock on his door, only to have no one present? Unless it was a prank from a couple of those teenagers who lived down the road from him 

His eyes soon caught a mysterious brown box laid in front of him on the welcome mat. Fletcher bends down to grab the box and stands upright again " Strange. I didn't order anything"

Fletcher takes the box inside and shuts the door, he then carries the box back into the kitchen and places it on his dining table infront of his plate. Curious to find out what was in the box and just who left it there for him, Fletcher opens the lid and see the contents it possessed

His eyebrows raised when he saw a photo of himself with Will in much happier times but with one difference. One Will's side of the picture there was a small arrow, beckoning for Fletcher to flip the photo over for message that was written especially for him 

Fletcher picks up the photo and brings it to his chest, he looks at him and Will smiling together before finally flipping it over " What the fuck?"

The message read - I killed him!

Fletcher's eyes soon see another photo in the box that was even more disturbing than the one he held with a message confirming Will being murdered. He drops the photo in his hand and picks up the other photo in the box which was Will's decomposed corpse inside a box which was meant for Ferguson 

When Ferguson escaped the box, murdered Will and hid in her lawyer's home for a couple of weeks before moving to Vera's, she ordered a contact to dig Will's grave and take photos of him for this particular purpose. She wanted to send these photos to Fletcher as a reminder she's alive, she knows where he lives and will always be watching him 

If that photo wasn't bad enough, Fletcher sees the last content in the box which is an envelope with the initials - Mr. Fletcher

" You murdering bitch!" Fletcher hissed

Fletcher drops the second photo, picks up the envelope and opened it, which shared a message Ferguson wrote to him before moving into Vera's home 

 

Dear Mr. Fletcher, 

How's life been treating you since our last encounter? I apologize for not visiting you in person but I'm sure you know about my current situation, where you, Smith, Ms. Bennett, and Mr. Jackson conspired to have me as a prisoner. You thought your little plan worked, didn't it? All of you were wrong and have paid the price

Well everyone except for you, that is. You were the only one to have the intelligence to hand in your resignation and move away as far as you possibly could. It had taken me a while to find your location due to unforeseen circumstances that prevented me from finding you sooner, but here we are now

Did you enjoy those photos of you and Mr. Jackson? No? Well, I don't blame you. After all, it was you who was responsible for destroying the friendship the two of you had. I'm sure it brought up memories from the past that you didn't want to remember. I for one enjoyed taking Mr. Jackson's life with my own bare hands. After all, it was he who conspired with another officer and Smith's lover to have me buried alive. I couldn't let Mr. Jackson live after that happened

Surely you can understand that. An eye for an eye

You're probably wondering how I found you, especially when my former hitman who I paid to kill you twice was behind bars before I had him killed for turning against me. Well! I have many other contacts, Mr. Fletcher. Many more on the outside to help do my bidding preserve the greater good

Now that I have found you. I may send more gifts your way. Hell! I might end up paying you a visit one of these days when I decide I've done all I can in Wentworth and looking for a fresh start. Just remember this. No matter where you go. No matter how hard you try. I will find you

Joan Ferguson 

 

Fletcher scrunches the letter in his hand, the anger, and resentment he has for Ferguson bubbles to the surface until it boils over in one frustrating scream

" FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


	50. Face Off

Joan Ferguson stands in front of a mirror inside her cell, she pulls her hair back and neatly tied into a ponytail. She has two things on her mind. Annihilate Rita Connors in their fight which is coming up in a few minutes, and exact revenge on Ernest Craven by having him fired from his position as the Governor

She is still infuriated with herself for allowing the Puppet Master to gain the upper hand by blackmailing her about her past in Sinclair. She's never been put in this situation before, forced into doing someone else's handy work. No. It's usually Ferguson that blackmails and forces that person to do her bidding

Now that Craven has vital information which would spell very bad news for the Freak and completely isolate herself from everything around her, Ferguson has no choice but to do as she is told and kill Rita. Knowing full well Craven will be watching their battle and if he sees Ferguson doing anything other than killing their enemy, it will be the end for her reign in Wentworth

Craven will pay for his betrayal, he will rue the day ever accepted the offer of becoming Wentworth's new Governor. Yes! Ferguson will restart the drug trade, causing multiple overdoses and create other tension to bring the board down on Craven, until they have no other choice but to fire him

As for Rita, she's proving to be a worthy adversary and Ferguson would have loved for their rivalry to continue a little longer, since it was keeping her mind sharp and the reminder there will always be someone there to challenge her. But unfortunately for her, she has no choice but to end their game prematurely

Oh well, Ferguson thought. At least her reign as Top Dog will go on longer and she'll have to wait and bide her time for the next opponent on the horizon, while also doing everything in her power to sabotage Craven's career

Ferguson looked at her reflection in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction. With her mind focused on Rita, she is now ready to do battle and once again prove her dominance in the general population 

She turned around, walked over to her door and leaves her cell

Rebecca and Raven waited for Ferguson over by the entrance to H5. They were also waiting for Franky to return to them and inform the Freak, everyone including Rita is ready for her over in the yard 

" Doyle has not returned yet?" Ferguson asked her two cohorts

Raven shakes her head " Not yet but she'll be here soon. It's a shame I won't have the pleasure of killing Rita myself. But I know you'll give her everything she deserves, so give her hell Joan" she smiled

" Yeah! Show Rita and the others why you're the Top Dog. The reigning and defending champion" Rebecca smirked

Ferguson walked over to them " I will do everything in my power to defeat Connors" she said confidently

" I just wish Vera was here to see it. Connors made a big mistake in siding with Barrett that lead to Vera's despicable attack. She would have been proud to see me fighting for her honor"

Raven and Rebecca both nodded in agreement

" Amen to that. Vera may not be here in body but she is here in spirit and will be cheering you on as hard as me, Ravey and Franky will" Rebecca said to Ferguson 

Raven's smile grew bigger " I'm just glad to be back in time. It wasn't fun being stuck in the hospital and away from you guys" 

Ferguson looked at Raven " And we are glad to have you here. Your loyalty along with Widmore has been most rewarding" she replied

" It's like I said before, Joan" Rebecca smirked at Ferguson " We are family"

Franky Doyle finally returned to H5 and sees everyone by the entrance " She's ready for you" looking directly at Ferguson 

Ferguson nodded " It's time" she passes her cohorts and walked out in front 

The Freaks followed their leader down the corridors. Raven and Franky both walked beside Ferguson, while Rebecca walked beside her girlfriend. As promised by the Puppet Master, he has ordered his officers to stand back and not interfere with Ferguson's fight with Rita, until he gives the exact word

Although Craven has no intentions of allowing Rita to live and had to appear he was willing to save her life just as he did with Mel's in the past

The prisoners who were in the corridors made way for Ferguson and her crew to pass them by, hoping Rita will be able to succeed in where Mel, Kaz, Allie, and Bea have failed. If Rita fails and ends up dead, it'll be most unfortunate for the prisoners. All the hope they currently have will go out the window and everything will return to the way it was

Being miserable and living in constant fear of both Ferguson and Craven for that matter. Rita made promises to get their special privileges back, but that can't happen if Ferguson kills her 

Two minutes later, Ferguson and the Freaks finally made their way outside to the yard. A group of prisoners was already present which included Liz, Boomer, Nicole, Soz, Snortz and Scarlett. Rita Connors stands in the middle of the group, just as Ferguson did previously while waiting for Mel to appear

The time for talk is over. Everything that has happened in the last several months and beyond has led to this exact day and this exact place. The battle to decide whether or not Wentworth will finally be freed from Ferguson's stranglehold and a new order taking shape 

Rita immediately locked eyes with the Freak and watching Ferguson making her way over 

Ferguson met Rita's gaze as a couple of prisoners broke the circle and allowed the Freak to enter the lion's den. Rebecca, Franky, and Raven blended in with the crowd

Wentworth's two titans approach one another, keeping their eyes on the other as any other rival would before wrestling or a boxing match. The only difference is this fight is not broadcast on TV and you don't have to pay to see it. It's free

Craven stands in front of his window in his office with his arms behind his back and looking down at Rita and Ferguson. He hopes Ferguson will make good on her promise to kill Rita before the day is over, otherwise, he'll have no choice but to send his idol and mentor back to Sinclair

Ms. Miles and a couple of the other officers remained standing behind the barricaded fence and waited for Craven to tell them what to do

Rita smirked at Ferguson " Ready to get your ass whopped?"

" The only person losing is you, Connors" Ferguson replied

Rita's smirk grew wider " I don't think so, Joan. You've underestimated me and the influence I have over the women" her smirk fades and in its place is a determined stare " You're going to pay for all the lives you've destroyed"

" That's what they all say. They make promises they can't keep and you won't keep your promise to save these morons from me. I know what's best for them and for you. I am the answer to your life's question and without me, your just a joke.....without a punchline" Ferguson said to Rita

Rita shakes her head in disbelief " You're so deluded, Joan. I will do what I must"

They both looked at the crowd surrounding them and nodding their heads, giving them the signal their fight is about to start and the crowd should stand back if they don't want to end up as a casualty

The crowd stands away at a healthy distance from Ferguson and Rita

Rita takes action, she takes out a Shiv she received from Boomer last night and lunges it at Ferguson, wanting to end this fight quickly as possible and not wanting to be on the receiving end of the Freak's strength 

Ferguson blocked Rita's attack at the last second, she raises Rita's arm in the air and twisted it long enough for her to disarm Rita and grabbing the shiv away from her enemy. Rita manages to break away from Ferguson's grip and taking a few steps back

Ferguson points her new weapon at Rita but instead of using the shiv, she throws it across the yard, so neither one could be tempted to use it. She wanted to beat Rita to death with her own hands, her own strength, not wanting to resort to using weapons unless she had no other choice 

Rita charges at Ferguson and tackles her to the ground, she then climbs on top and starts punching Ferguson's face. She punched Ferguson three more times and just before she was about to deliver the fourth punch, Ferguson grabbed Rita by her neck, she tightens her grip and forces Rita off of her

Ferguson releases her hold over her nemesis, slamming her knee into Rita's stomach and head butting her. Rita stumbles back from the head butt while trying to catch her breath, allowing the Freak to continue her onslaught, she blocked Rita's punch and kneed Rita in the stomach again before knocking her to ground with one punch

Rita is met with two hard kicks to the stomach and Ferguson proceeds to make a third kick, wanting Rita to suffer for as long as possible before finally giving Rita the death blow. However, Rita manages to intercept Ferguson's third kick by grabbing her leg and pulling it towards her, which caused Ferguson to slip and fall on the ground 

With one hand gripped onto Ferguson's leg, Rita attempts to climb on top of her enemy and pinning her where laid, but the Freak manages to break Rita's grip with her leg and kick her in the face, which caused Rita to let go and fall back 

The crowd enjoys every minute of Rita and Ferguson's fight, they cheered and hollered to give Rita extra support. Rebecca and Raven on the other end were cheering for Ferguson to rip Rita's head off, while Franky watched on in silence

Ferguson is the first to stand to her feet and sees Rita standing on one foot with her back to Ferguson, not wanting her enemy to gain any momentum over her, Ferguson walked over to Rita and yanked her by the back of the hair

Rita groaned but refuses to give up, she bawls her hand into a fist and elbowed Ferguson in the stomach as hard as she possibly could. The elbow caused Ferguson to released her hold on Rita's hair and step back. The fearless inmate tackled the Freak over to a nearby picnic bench and started punching Ferguson repeatedly in the stomach before laying one into her face

'"GET HER RITA...GET HER" Boomer yelled

Ferguson uses her long arms to wrap around Rita's neck and squeezing it roughly, which forced Rita to stop her assault and gasping for air. With one forceful throw, Ferguson hurled Rita crossed the ground and laying close to where Ferguson threw her shiv at the beginning of their fight 

Rita tries to muster her remaining strength to stand to feet but was met with a kick across the face, forcing Rita to collapse onto her stomach again. Ferguson felt now was the time to put her enemy out of her misery, she walked over to Rita and used her foot to push Rita onto her back

Ferguson climbs on top of Rita with her hands on Rita's throat again and proceeds to crush her windpipe. Nicole looked away in horror as she feared the worse for her friend, Rebecca, and Raven was smiling proudly at their leader

" Game over, Connors. You were a worthy adversary but unfortunately all good things must come to an end" Ferguson said and immediately declaring victory over Rita

Rita tried unsuccessfully to break Ferguson's grip, with her oxygen rapidly leaving and not having a lot of time left if she wants to make a comeback. She spotted the shiv which laid inches away from her, she extended her arm and reached out to grab her weapon, while Ferguson continued to strangle the life out of her

Just when all hope seemed to be lost for her, Rita finally manages to grab the shiv and uses it to slam it into Ferguson's left hand. The Freak released her hold and groaned in pain, but before she had a chance to do anything, Rita uses the shiv to cut Ferguson's cheek 

Ferguson gets off of Rita and crawled away slightly, her hair now became unkept due to the fighting and no longer tied into a ponytail. She stands to her feet and fought through the pain in her hand

At this point, both competitors were covered in bruises with little blood stains appearing from their bottom lips and cheeks

Rita stands to her feet and held out her arms " Is that all you got" taunting the Freak. With her hand gripping onto the shiv, she lunges at Ferguson for the second time and hoping she'll manage to penetrate Ferguson's flesh this time around 

Ferguson frowned and despite her damaged left hand, she fights through the pain even more thanks to the adrenaline coursing through her veins, she disarmed Rita and threw the shiv across the ground again

This time the shiv landed directly in front of Franky, her eyes glanced down at the weapon in front of her 

Ferguson grabbed Rita by the back of the hair, pulled her in and kneed her twice which forced Rita to not only stumble back but crashing to the ground on her back 

" It's time to end this" Ferguson snarled

Rita now became semi-conscious due to the blows she received from Ferguson's knees, she looks up and sees the Freak climbing onto her. Rita spat blood into the Freak's face in defiance but Ferguson retaliated by punching Rita across the face

Ferguson places her damaged hand onto her enemy's neck while using her one good hand to repeatedly punch Rita's face over and over again. Blood started to fly from out of Rita's mouth, onto Ferguson's hands, arms and Rita's clothes

Craven smiled on from his office, enjoying the way Ferguson is beating Rita to death " It won't be long now"

All hope seemed to be lost for the prisoners who were witnessing the fight of the century, once again their hopes and dreams were dashed and forced to continue to live a life of misery under the Freak's reign 

Ferguson raises her hand and prepared to deliver the final blow which will end Rita's life, but before the Freak had a chance to strike an unlikely savior emerges from the shadows. Ferguson sees the blade of a shiv appearing underneath her neck, she looks up and sees Franky 

Franky smiled at Ferguson " Suprise bitch" she then uses the shiv to slice into Ferguson's neck and jugular

She pushes Ferguson off of Rita, which made the Freak lay on her back and beside her enemy

Ferguson puts her hand around her neck in an attempt to stop the bleeding, while she gags and slowly chokes on her own blood. She looks up at Franky in complete horror for her betrayal 

"No! How can this be? Franky was on my side. She was my puppet" Ferguson said in her head 

Everyone including the Puppet Master and Rita looked on in shock at Franky's actions. They couldn't believe what they had just seen, it was so unexpected. Never did anyone expect to see Franky turn traitor and turn on Ferguson, especially when Franky did the unthinkable by joining her 

Franky stands over Ferguson while holding the shiv " Surprised? I bet you are. The look on your face says it all" she smiled in delight before that smile turned into a cold menacing gaze 

" I know you killed Bridget Westfall. What? You actually thought I believed it was Allie and Kaz?" Franky shakes her head " No! It wasn't them. I knew if I came out and said I didn't believe it was them who killed Gig, it was only a matter of time before you had me killed. So I played the long game and make everything think I turned my back on them. I pretended to join until you dropped your guard and made you trust me. When that happened, I just had to wait and bide my time. And it finally paid off. There's no coming back from this, Joan. It's over"

Ferguson couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was bad enough Craven outsmarted her yesterday, but to be betrayed by an old enemy by attempting to brainwash them was even worse. How did she not see it coming?

" This is impossible. I can't be beaten. I can't! I'm Joan Ferguson. This can't be happening" she said in her thoughts 

She tried desperately to put pressure to stop the bleeding but only to fail miserably, as more oxygen left her body Ferguson lost strength in her arms and started to go in and out of consciousness. Her heart begins beating rapidly from the loss of oxygen and the reality of not being able to return from this ordeal 

Ferguson is going to die and the fear where she'll end up in the afterlife is truly terrifying to her. Throughout most of her life, she never believed in a Heaven or Hell. Thinking it was total nonsense. But as she laid there on the ground and choking on her blood, those realms became all too real for her

Franky dropped the shiv on Ferguson's chest " You're going to burn in Hell for what you have done" she briefly glances at Rita who now stands beside her before turning her focus back onto the Freak 

The crowd of prisoners with the exception of Rebecca, Raven, and Scarlett began to surround the Freak as they all wanted to see their tormenter who terrorized them for two years, is finally meeting her comeuppance. The nightmare is finally over and they were all relieved. Some even had tears in their eyes since none thought this day would never come

Ferguson looked up at Franky and the prisoners surrounding them, she starts to see hallucinations of Bea Smith, Allie Novak, Will Jackson, Bridget Westfall, Tina Marcado, Simmo Slater, Kaz Proctor, Nils Jasper, Harry Smith, Jake Stewart and her own father in the crowd looking down at her 

Is this what her father meant when he warned Ferguson to not return to Wentworth after escaping the box?

" No......NO!!!!" Ferguson screamed in her mind as her eyes widen in horror for the fate that awaits her 

Ferguson's vision began to get blurry as her eyes blinked constantly until finally, she succumbs to her fate with the last bit of her life drained from her body, and closes her eyes

The woman who brought so much destruction and misery during her career in corrections before eventually becoming a prisoner, is finally dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap, my friends. Ferguson's era has come to an end. Bet none of you expected Franky to be the one. It was hard for me to write this chapter and her death scene, but I was so pissed off with how the writers ended her character in season 6. It was weak and pathetic. Mine is far superior. Now that Ferguson is gone, get ready for the era of Ernest Craven
> 
> The third installment will begin either next month or sometime in May. It's going to be a lot of fun and very interesting to write a story without Ferguson being involved. It's Craven's time to shine along with Rita and my original characters that will help keep this series going strong
> 
> Thank you to everyone that has read this story from start to finish. Hope you enjoyed it


End file.
